Temeca
An unusual feminine name, potentially derived from the Yaqui language.
Name Census estimates that about 85 living Americans carry the first name Temeca. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Temeca today is around 48 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Temeca births was 1975 (14 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Temeca. 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 Temeca. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
85
~ 1 in 4,032,404 Americans
Peak year
1975
14 babies that year
Average age
48
years old
1986 SSA rank
#12,676
Tracked since 1973
Popularity
Temeca: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Temeca from the 1970s through to the 1980s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 65 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1970s peak, Temeca remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Temeca 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 Temeca during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Temeca
The name Temeca is believed to have originated from the Nahuatl language, spoken by the Aztec people of ancient Mexico. It likely stems from the word "temazcalli," which referred to a type of sweat lodge or steam bath used for ritual purification and healing purposes.
In Aztec culture, the temazcalli played a significant role in various ceremonies and was considered a sacred space. The name Temeca may have been given to individuals born in or near these sweat lodges, or those who had a connection to the rituals performed within them.
The earliest known references to the name Temeca can be traced back to the 16th century, during the era of Spanish colonization in Mexico. Some historical records from this period mention individuals with the name, although its exact origins and meanings are not always clearly documented.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Temeca was a woman named Temeca Cuauhtli, who lived in the early 1500s in the region of present-day Mexico City. She is mentioned in accounts of the Spanish conquest as a respected elder and healer within her community.
Another notable figure was Temeca Xochitl, a leader and warrior who fought against the Spanish invaders in the early 1500s. Her name is recorded in some historical chronicles, though details of her life and deeds have been lost to time.
In the 17th century, a man named Temeca Acatl was a prominent artist and sculptor in the city of Puebla, Mexico. His works, influenced by both indigenous and Spanish artistic traditions, can still be found in several churches and museums in the region.
During the 18th century, Temeca Tlacahuepan was a respected teacher and philosopher in the city of Oaxaca, Mexico. She is credited with preserving and passing down traditional Nahuatl knowledge and teachings to future generations.
In the 19th century, Temeca Coatl was a renowned poet and writer from the state of Veracruz, Mexico. Her works, written in both Nahuatl and Spanish, explored themes of indigenous identity, culture, and resistance against colonial oppression.
While the name Temeca has its roots in ancient Aztec culture, it has continued to be used throughout the centuries, carrying with it a connection to the rich history and traditions of Mexico's indigenous peoples.
People
Temeca + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Temeca 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
Temeca: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Temeca?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 85 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Temeca 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 4,032,404 US residents.
Is Temeca a common name?
We classify Temeca as "Very Rare". It ranks above 62.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 93 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Temeca most popular?
The single biggest year for Temeca was 1975, when 14 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Temeca is about 48 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Temeca a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Temeca in the SSA data are female. 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.
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.