Find out how popular the first name Tequoia has been for the last 2 years (from 1988 to 1989) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Tequoia by gender

Based on the last 2 years of data, Tequoia is exclusively a female name.

For the most recent data in 1989, there were 6 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Tequoia.

The history of the first name Tequoia

The name Tequoia is an English variant of the Spanish name Sequoia, which itself is derived from the Cherokee language. The name Sequoia was given to the towering redwood trees native to the western United States by a naturalist named Stephan Endlicher in 1847. He named the trees after a Cherokee leader known as Sequoyah or Ssiquoiya.

Sequoyah was born around 1770 in the Cherokee village of Tuskee, situated in what is now Tennessee. He is credited with developing the Cherokee syllabary, a written script for the Cherokee language, in the early 1800s. Prior to his work, the Cherokee did not have a formal writing system. Sequoyah's syllabary made it possible to encode the Cherokee language and enabled widespread literacy among the Cherokee people.

The name Sequoyah or Ssiquoiya is thought to be derived from the Cherokee word "sikwa'ya," meaning "pig's foot" or "hog's foot." The reason for this unusual name is not entirely clear, but some historians suggest it may have been a nickname referring to a childhood injury or physical characteristic.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Tequoia in English comes from the 1840s, when naturalists began using it as a reference to the giant redwood trees found in California. The name quickly gained popularity and was used as a given name for both males and females.

Some notable individuals throughout history who bore the name Tequoia or its variants include:

1. Sequoyah (c. 1770-1843), the Cherokee leader and creator of the Cherokee syllabary.
2. Sequoia Pettier (1890-1967), a Native American activist and leader of the Comanche Nation.
3. Sequoia Miller (born 1973), an American professional wrestler and actor.
4. Sequoia Shenault (born 1995), an American track and field athlete who competes in the high jump.
5. Sequoia Huggins (born 1997), an American professional basketball player.

While the name Tequoia is relatively uncommon, it has endured as a tribute to the Cherokee leader Sequoyah and his contributions to the preservation of the Cherokee language and culture.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Tequoia was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Tequoia, please contact us.

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