Find out how popular the first name Tevye has been for the last 8 years (from 2014 to 2021) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Tevye by gender

Based on the last 8 years of data, Tevye is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2021, there were 5 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Tevye.

The history of the first name Tevye

The name Tevye is a Yiddish variant of the Hebrew name Tuvia, which means "God is good" or "goodness of God." It originated in Eastern Europe, particularly in the Jewish communities of Poland, Ukraine, and Russia, where Yiddish was widely spoken.

The name Tevye gained widespread recognition through the character of Tevye the Dairyman in the 1964 musical "Fiddler on the Roof," based on the stories of Sholem Aleichem, a celebrated Yiddish author from the early 20th century. The musical's popularity helped to popularize the name among Jewish and non-Jewish communities alike.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tevye can be found in the Talmud, a central text of Rabbinic Judaism, where it is mentioned as the name of a sage who lived in the 3rd century CE. However, it is unclear whether this reference is directly related to the modern name or merely a coincidence.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Tevye. One of the most famous was Tevye the Dairyman, the fictional protagonist of Sholem Aleichem's stories, whose wit, wisdom, and struggles to maintain tradition in the face of modernity have resonated with readers and audiences for over a century.

Another notable Tevye was Tevye Markus (1856-1937), a Russian-born Jewish entrepreneur and philanthropist who founded the Markus Sewing Machine Company in St. Petersburg and later became a prominent supporter of Jewish education and cultural initiatives in pre-revolutionary Russia.

In the realm of academia, Tevye Hashin (1906-1963) was a prominent Israeli mathematician and physicist who made significant contributions to the fields of elasticity and plasticity theory. His work laid the foundations for the development of composite materials and helped advance the understanding of the behavior of materials under various loads and conditions.

In more recent times, Tevye Friedman (1936-2021) was a renowned American physicist and author who specialized in quantum mechanics and quantum computing. He authored several influential books on these subjects and played a pivotal role in advancing the understanding of quantum theory and its applications in modern technology.

Finally, Tevye Robbin (1942-2021) was a respected American author and poet known for his works exploring Jewish identity, culture, and spirituality. His poetry collections, such as "Voices of Silence" and "The Promised Land," garnered critical acclaim and contributed to the preservation and celebration of the Yiddish literary tradition.

These are just a few examples of the diverse individuals who have carried the name Tevye throughout history, each contributing to their respective fields and cultures in unique and meaningful ways.

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 Tevye was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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