Tonjia
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly a combination of other names.
Name Census estimates that about 255 living Americans carry the first name Tonjia. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Tonjia today is around 59 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Tonjia births was 1967 (24 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Tonjia. 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
255
~ 1 in 1,344,135 Americans
Peak year
1967
24 babies that year
Average age
59
years old
1976 SSA rank
#7,249
Tracked since 1946
Popularity
Tonjia: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Tonjia from the 1940s through to the 1970s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 172 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1960s peak, Tonjia remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Tonjia 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 Tonjia during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Tonjias live
Origin
Meaning and history of Tonjia
The given name Tonjia is a relatively modern invention, believed to have originated in the late 20th century. Its exact origins are unclear, but it appears to be a combination of two more traditional names, Tonia and Jia. While its etymology is uncertain, some theories suggest it could be derived from the Latin name Antonia or the Greek name Antonia, both of which mean "priceless one" or "highly praised."
Another possibility is that Tonjia is a blend of the French name Toni, a diminutive of Antoine, and the Chinese name Jia, meaning "beautiful" or "excellent." This potential fusion of European and Asian influences reflects the increasing cultural diversity and globalization of the late 20th century when the name likely emerged.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Tonjia are relatively scarce, as it is a relatively new addition to the lexicon of given names. However, a few notable individuals have borne this name throughout history:
1. Tonjia Millar (born 1979) is a former Australian basketball player who competed in the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games.
2. Tonjia Richardson (born 1975) is an American former professional basketball player who played in the WNBA for several teams, including the Houston Comets and the Detroit Shock.
3. Tonjia Coverdale (born 1970) is a British author and journalist who has written several books on parenting and family life.
4. Tonjia Ackerman (born 1968) is an American artist and sculptor, known for her large-scale public installations and works that explore themes of nature and the environment.
5. Tonjia Cromwell (born 1962) is a former American track and field athlete who won a silver medal in the 4x100m relay at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
While the name Tonjia is still relatively uncommon, its increasing presence in various cultural contexts suggests a growing appreciation for its unique and modern sound. As a blend of different linguistic traditions, it reflects the growing diversity and interconnectedness of the contemporary world.
People
Tonjia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Tonjia 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
Tonjia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Tonjia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 255 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Tonjia 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 1,344,135 US residents.
Is Tonjia a common name?
We classify Tonjia as "Very Rare". It ranks above 77.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 305 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Tonjia most popular?
The single biggest year for Tonjia was 1967, when 24 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Tonjia is about 59 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Tonjia a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Tonjia 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.
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.