Tellys
A name with meaning uncertain or unknown.
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Tellys. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Tellys today is around 55 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Tellys births was 1975 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Tellys. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Tellys. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
1975
7 babies that year
Average age
55
years old
1975 SSA rank
#4,746
Tracked since 1975
Popularity
Tellys: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Tellys by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Tellys during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 7 | 0 | 7 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Tellys
The name Tellys originates from ancient Greek and has its roots in the word "tellos," which means "end" or "goal." It was a name given to children born during times of great significance or after a period of struggle, symbolizing the achievement of a long-awaited goal or the end of a difficult journey.
In Greek mythology, Tellys was the name of a minor deity associated with the fulfillment of desires and the realization of dreams. While not widely prominent, this figure was often invoked by those seeking guidance or assistance in achieving their objectives.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Tellys can be traced back to the 5th century BCE in ancient Greece. One notable figure bearing this name was Tellys of Miletus, a philosopher and mathematician who lived around 450 BCE and is credited with contributing to the development of early geometric proofs.
In the realm of literature, the name Tellys appears in a few ancient Greek texts, including the works of the historian Herodotus, who mentioned a character named Tellys in his accounts of the Persian Wars.
During the Byzantine era, the name Tellys saw a resurgence in popularity, particularly among the Greek Orthodox Christian community. One prominent figure from this period was Tellys of Constantinople, a renowned theologian and scholar who lived in the 9th century CE and wrote extensively on the interpretation of religious texts.
As the name spread across different regions and cultures, variations in spelling and pronunciation emerged. In ancient Rome, the name was sometimes rendered as "Tellius" or "Tellio," while in medieval Europe, it took forms such as "Tellys" or "Tellies."
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Tellys, including:
1. Tellys of Argos (c. 300 BCE), a Greek poet and playwright renowned for his tragic works.
2. Tellys the Martyr (c. 250 CE), a Christian saint and martyr from the Roman province of Galatia, venerated for his unwavering faith.
3. Tellys of Ravenna (c. 550 CE), an Italian scholar and philosopher known for his contributions to the study of rhetoric and logic.
4. Tellys the Navigator (c. 1100 CE), a Venetian explorer and cartographer credited with creating some of the earliest known maps of the Mediterranean region.
5. Tellys Demetriou (1910-1992), a Cypriot poet and playwright celebrated for his works exploring themes of identity and cultural heritage.
While the name Tellys is not as common in modern times, it remains a part of the rich tapestry of names that have been passed down through generations, carrying with it a sense of accomplishment, perseverance, and the attainment of long-held goals.
People
Tellys + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Tellys as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with T
Other first names starting with T with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Tellys: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Tellys?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Tellys going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Tellys a common name?
We classify Tellys as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 7 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Tellys most popular?
The single biggest year for Tellys was 1975, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Tellys is about 55 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Tellys in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Tellys a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Tellys in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Tellys still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Tellys in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Tellys can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Tellys?
Want to know how many people share the name Tellys? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.