Tequan
An Arabic name meaning "upright" or "righteous path".
Name Census estimates that about 399 living Americans carry the first name Tequan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Tequan today is around 26 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Tequan births was 1994 (28 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Tequan. 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
399
~ 1 in 859,033 Americans
Peak year
1994
28 babies that year
Average age
26
years old
2023 SSA rank
#12,085
Tracked since 1985
Popularity
Tequan: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Tequan from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 187 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Tequan 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 Tequan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Tequans live
Origin
Meaning and history of Tequan
The name Tequan has its origins in the Yoruba language, spoken by the Yoruba people of West Africa, particularly in present-day Nigeria. It is a compound name formed by the combination of two Yoruba words: "te" meaning "to revere" or "to honor" and "awan" meaning "crown" or "royalty."
In Yoruba culture, names often carry deep spiritual and symbolic meanings, reflecting the values, beliefs, and aspirations of the community. The name Tequan was traditionally given to male children as a way of expressing the hope that they would grow to be respected and honored individuals, akin to royalty.
While the exact date of the name's origin is difficult to pinpoint, it has been in use within the Yoruba community for centuries. Historically, the name does not appear to be mentioned in any ancient texts or religious scriptures, as the Yoruba people primarily had an oral tradition of passing down their cultural heritage.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Tequan can be found in the writings of Samuel Ajayi Crowther, a Yoruba scholar and the first African Anglican bishop in Nigeria, who lived from 1809 to 1891. Crowther wrote extensively about Yoruba language and culture, and his works provide valuable insights into the use and significance of traditional Yoruba names.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Tequan. One example is Tequan Richmond, an American actor born in 1992, known for his roles in films such as "Everybody Hates Chris" and "Ray." Another is Tequan Boyd, an American football player who played as a defensive back for several teams in the National Football League (NFL) between 2007 and 2013.
In the field of music, Tequan Everett, an American rapper and songwriter born in 1990, has gained recognition for his work in the hip-hop genre. Additionally, Tequan Anderson, a basketball player from Canada born in 1996, has made a name for himself in the sport, playing for various professional teams.
Tequan Gwynn, an American college basketball player born in 1995, is another individual who has carried this name. While not an exhaustive list, these examples showcase the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of individuals who share the name Tequan.
People
Tequan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Tequan 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
Tequan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Tequan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 399 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Tequan 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 859,033 US residents.
Is Tequan a common name?
We classify Tequan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 82.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 407 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Tequan most popular?
The single biggest year for Tequan was 1994, when 28 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Tequan is about 26 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Tequan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Tequan 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.
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.