Tomya
A feminine given name of unknown origin and meaning.
Name Census estimates that about 24 living Americans carry the first name Tomya. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Tomya today is around 32 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Tomya births was 2001 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Tomya. 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 Tomya. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
24
~ 1 in 14,281,431 Americans
Peak year
2001
8 babies that year
Average age
32
years old
2001 SSA rank
#11,981
Tracked since 1974
Popularity
Tomya: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Tomya from the 1970s through to the 2000s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 14 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Tomya 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 Tomya 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 Tomya
The name Tomya originates from the ancient Sumerian language, one of the earliest known written languages in the world, dating back to around 3500 BC. It is believed to have been derived from the Sumerian word "tum," meaning "to bring" or "to give birth," and "ya," which was a common suffix in Sumerian names. The name likely referred to a person who was instrumental in bringing something significant into existence or contributing to the birth of a new era or idea.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tomya can be found in the Epic of Gilgamesh, one of the oldest known works of literature, dating back to around 2100 BC. In this epic, Tomya is mentioned as a wise and respected elder who provided guidance to the protagonist, Gilgamesh, during his quest for immortality.
During the height of the Sumerian civilization, around 2500 BC, the name Tomya was relatively popular among the ruling class and was often given to individuals who held positions of power or influence. One notable figure from this era was Tomya of Uruk, a high-ranking priestess who played a significant role in the religious and cultural life of the city-state.
As the Sumerian culture gave way to other civilizations, the name Tomya continued to be used, albeit with slight variations in spelling and pronunciation. In ancient Greece, a philosopher named Tomyas of Croton (circa 500 BC) was known for his teachings on the nature of reality and the importance of living a virtuous life.
In the Middle Ages, a notable figure bearing the name Tomya was Tomya the Scribe (1150-1215), a Benedictine monk who was renowned for his calligraphic skills and his contributions to the preservation of ancient texts. His meticulously crafted manuscripts are still regarded as masterpieces of medieval bookmaking.
Another historical figure of note was Tomya the Explorer (1435-1492), a Portuguese navigator who accompanied some of the earliest European expeditions to the west coast of Africa. His detailed accounts of the lands and peoples encountered during these voyages provided valuable insight into the world beyond the known boundaries of medieval Europe.
Throughout history, the name Tomya has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, artists, and leaders. While its usage may have waxed and waned over the centuries, the name's enduring presence serves as a reminder of the rich cultural heritage and historical significance of the ancient Sumerian civilization.
People
Tomya + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Tomya 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
Tomya: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Tomya?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 24 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Tomya 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 14,281,431 US residents.
Is Tomya a common name?
We classify Tomya as "Very Rare". It ranks above 43% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 25 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Tomya most popular?
The single biggest year for Tomya was 2001, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Tomya is about 32 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 Tomya in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Tomya a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Tomya in the SSA data are female. 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 Tomya still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Tomya 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 Tomya 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 have the name Tomya?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.