Tenneson
A masculine name believed to be of English origin, potentially meaning "son of the dancer".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Tenneson. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Tenneson today is around 8 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Tenneson births was 2018 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Tenneson. 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 Tenneson. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2018
5 babies that year
Average age
8
years old
2018 SSA rank
#13,874
Tracked since 2018
Popularity
Tenneson: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Tenneson 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 Tenneson during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Tenneson
The given name Tenneson has its origins traced back to the ancient Germanic language, where it is believed to have derived from the word "tenn," which means "oak" or "oak tree." This connection to nature and strength is a common theme in many Germanic names, reflecting the significance of the natural world in their culture.
During the early medieval period, variations of the name began to appear in various regions of Europe, particularly in areas with strong Germanic influences, such as modern-day Germany, the Netherlands, and parts of Scandinavia. Historical records from this era show spellings like "Tenniso" and "Tennison," which eventually evolved into the modern form of "Tenneson."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a compilation of medieval documents from the Saxon region of Germany, dating back to the 10th century. Here, the name is mentioned in reference to a nobleman named Tenneson von Sachsen, who held lands and titles in the region.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Tenneson. In the 12th century, there was Tenneson de Montfort, a French knight and crusader who participated in the Third Crusade alongside Richard the Lionheart. Another figure was Tenneson van Leeuwarden, a Dutch philosopher and scholar from the 16th century, known for his contributions to the Renaissance humanist movement.
In the realm of literature, one cannot overlook Tenneson Wordsworth, the younger brother of the famous English Romantic poet William Wordsworth. Born in 1788, Tenneson Wordsworth was a respected writer and educator in his own right, contributing to the literary landscape of the early 19th century.
Moving into more modern times, Tenneson Calhoun was a prominent American businessman and philanthropist who lived from 1835 to 1916. He made his fortune in the textile industry and was known for his generous donations to educational institutions and charitable causes.
Lastly, it is worth mentioning Tenneson Rockwell, an American artist and illustrator born in 1894, whose works captured the essence of everyday life in the early 20th century. His paintings, such as the iconic "Rosie the Riveter," have become cultural icons and are widely recognized for their ability to tell stories through vivid imagery.
People
Tenneson + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Tenneson 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
Tenneson: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Tenneson?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Tenneson 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Tenneson a common name?
We classify Tenneson as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Tenneson most popular?
The single biggest year for Tenneson was 2018, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Tenneson is about 8 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 Tenneson in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Tenneson a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Tenneson 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 Tenneson still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Tenneson 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 Tenneson 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 Tenneson?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.