Tiwan
Variant spelling of Taiwanese, of unknown meaning and origin.
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the first name Tiwan. It is a predominantly male name (92.5% of registrations). The average person named Tiwan today is around 42 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Tiwan births was 1976 (13 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Tiwan. 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
126
~ 1 in 2,720,273 Americans
Peak year
1976
13 babies that year
Average age
42
years old
2007 SSA rank
#10,792
Tracked since 1972
Gender
Gender distribution for Tiwan
Tiwan leans heavily male at 92.5% of total registrations, but 10 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Tiwan as a male name
- Ranked #14,200 in 2007
- 5 male births in 2007
- Peak: 1974 (9 births)
Tiwan as a female name
- Ranked #10,792 in 1976
- 5 female births in 1976
- Peak: 1972 (5 births)
Popularity
Tiwan: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Tiwan from the 1970s through to the 2000s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 67 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Tiwan 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 Tiwan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Tiwan
The name Tiwan has its origins in the ancient Persian language, dating back to the 6th century BCE. It is derived from the word "Tivanam," which translates to "strong" or "powerful." This name was commonly used among the nobility and warrior classes of ancient Persia, as it represented strength, courage, and resilience.
In the early days of Persian civilization, the name Tiwan appeared in several historical texts and inscriptions, particularly those documenting the reigns of various kings and emperors. One notable example is the Behistun Inscription, created by King Darius I of the Achaemenid Empire in the 5th century BCE, which mentions a Persian general named Tiwan who played a significant role in quelling a rebellion.
As the Persian Empire expanded and interacted with neighboring cultures, the name Tiwan began to spread and adapt to different languages and regions. In ancient Greek texts, it was often transliterated as "Tivan" or "Tivanos," while in Sanskrit scriptures, it appeared as "Tivana."
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Tiwan. One of the earliest recorded examples was Tiwan the Brave, a Persian warrior who lived around 500 BCE and was celebrated for his bravery in battle against the Scythians. Another prominent figure was Tiwan al-Isfahani, a renowned Persian poet and scholar who lived in the 10th century CE and contributed significantly to the development of Arabic literature.
In the realm of science and philosophy, Tiwan al-Razi, a Persian polymath born in 865 CE, made significant contributions to various fields, including medicine, chemistry, and physics. His works, such as the "Comprehensive Book on Medicine," were widely influential and studied throughout the Middle Ages.
During the medieval period, the name Tiwan also found its way into European chronicles and records. One notable example is Tiwan de Montfort, a French crusader and military leader who played a crucial role in the Albigensian Crusade against the Cathars in the 13th century.
In more recent times, the name Tiwan has been carried by several artists and public figures, such as Tiwan Belounis, a French-Algerian singer and songwriter known for his fusion of traditional Algerian music with contemporary styles.
While the name Tiwan may not be as commonly used today as it was in ancient times, its rich historical significance and association with strength, power, and bravery continue to resonate across cultures and generations.
People
Tiwan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Tiwan 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
Tiwan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Tiwan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 126 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Tiwan 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 2,720,273 US residents.
Is Tiwan a common name?
We classify Tiwan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 67.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 133 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Tiwan most popular?
The single biggest year for Tiwan was 1976, when 13 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Tiwan is about 42 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Tiwan a male name?
Yes, 92.5% of people registered as Tiwan 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.