Tonna
A feminine name of unknown origin, possibly derived from the Italian word for tuna.
Name Census estimates that about 649 living Americans carry the first name Tonna. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Tonna today is around 56 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Tonna births was 1966 (33 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Tonna. 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
649
~ 1 in 528,127 Americans
Peak year
1966
33 babies that year
Average age
56
years old
2008 SSA rank
#20,251
Tracked since 1944
Popularity
Tonna: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Tonna from the 1940s through to the 2000s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 231 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1960s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Tonna 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 Tonna during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Tonnas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Tonna
The name Tonna is believed to have its origins in Old Germanic languages, with roots that can be traced back to the 5th century CE. The name is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "þunraz," which means "thunder." This suggests that the name was initially associated with the natural phenomenon of thunder and its powerful, resonating sound.
In ancient Norse mythology, the god Thor was often depicted as the wielder of thunderbolts, and his name is closely linked to the word "þunraz." It is possible that the name Tonna was initially used to honor or pay tribute to this powerful deity, particularly among Germanic tribes and communities that worshipped Thor.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tonna can be found in the Codex Argenteus, a 6th-century manuscript containing a translation of the Bible into the Gothic language. In this text, the name appears as "Taunna," which is believed to be a variant spelling of the same name.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Tonna. One such person was Tonna of Armorica (c. 590 - c. 660), a Breton saint and hermit who lived in the 7th century. He is revered in the Catholic Church and is the patron saint of several towns in Brittany, France.
Another historical figure with the name Tonna was Tonna of Thérouanne (c. 890 - c. 960), a Flemish Benedictine monk and hagiographer who wrote biographies of saints. His work, known as the "Life of St. Omer," is an important source of information about the early history of the region.
In the 11th century, Tonna of Essen (c. 1010 - c. 1080) was a German Benedictine abbess who presided over the Essen Abbey in modern-day North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. She is remembered for her leadership and efforts to promote education and culture within the abbey.
During the 12th century, Tonna of Bamberg (c. 1130 - c. 1200) was a German noblewoman and landowner who played a significant role in the administration of the city of Bamberg, in present-day Bavaria, Germany.
Finally, in the 15th century, Tonna of Saxony (c. 1440 - c. 1510) was a German nun and abbess who served as the head of the Benedictine convent in Quedlinburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. She is recognized for her contributions to the religious and cultural life of the region during her tenure.
People
Tonna + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Tonna 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
Tonna: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Tonna?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 649 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Tonna 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 528,127 US residents.
Is Tonna a common name?
We classify Tonna as "Very Rare". It ranks above 86.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 799 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Tonna most popular?
The single biggest year for Tonna was 1966, when 33 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Tonna is about 56 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Tonna a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Tonna 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.