Tenna
A feminine name with uncertain meaning, possibly related to variations of "Tena" or "Tena".
Name Census estimates that about 425 living Americans carry the first name Tenna. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Tenna today is around 60 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Tenna births was 1961 (33 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Tenna. 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.
People living today
425
~ 1 in 806,481 Americans
Peak year
1961
33 babies that year
Average age
60
years old
1993 SSA rank
#13,299
Tracked since 1902
Popularity
Tenna: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Tenna from the 1900s through to the 1990s, spanning 9 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 230 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1960s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Tenna 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 Tenna during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Tennas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 5 states and territories. Texas, Tennessee, Alabama recorded the most babies named Tenna, while Kentucky, Indiana, Alabama recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 9 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Tenna
The name Tenna is of Old Norse origin, deriving from the word "tenni," which means "teeth" or "tooth." This name was commonly used in Scandinavian countries such as Iceland, Norway, and Sweden during the Viking era, which spanned from the late 8th century to the late 11th century.
Tenna was a popular name among the Vikings, who prized physical strength and valor. The name may have been given to children with particularly strong or prominent teeth, or it could have been a symbolic representation of resilience and fortitude. In ancient Norse mythology, there are references to gods and goddesses with names related to teeth, such as Tanngnióstr and Tannfé, further emphasizing the significance of this feature in Viking culture.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tenna can be found in the Icelandic Sagas, a collection of historical tales and folklore from the 13th century. The Saga of Gísli Súrsson, for example, mentions a character named Tenna Ǫngull, who lived in the 10th century and was known for his wisdom and foresight.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Tenna. In the 16th century, Tenna Scholander (1508-1570) was a Swedish noblewoman and landowner who played a significant role in the Reformation and the establishment of Protestantism in Sweden. Another prominent figure was Tenna Marsh (1801-1865), a British writer and philanthropist who advocated for women's education and social reform.
In the 20th century, Tenna Kraft (1885-1954) was a Danish film actress who appeared in several silent movies during the early days of cinema. Tenna Mäkitalo (1909-1999) was a Finnish author and journalist known for her children's books and contributions to Finnish literature. Additionally, Tenna Shöre (1920-2001) was a Swedish painter and sculptor whose works were exhibited in galleries across Europe.
While the name Tenna may not be as common today as it once was, its historical roots and connections to Norse culture and language make it a unique and intriguing choice for parents seeking a name with a rich heritage.
People
Tenna + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Tenna 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
Tenna: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Tenna?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 425 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Tenna 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 806,481 US residents.
Is Tenna a common name?
We classify Tenna as "Very Rare". It ranks above 82.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 559 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Tenna most popular?
The single biggest year for Tenna was 1961, when 33 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Tenna is about 60 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Tenna a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Tenna 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.