Towanna
A feminine name of Native American origin, possibly meaning "beautiful child".
Name Census estimates that about 605 living Americans carry the first name Towanna. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Towanna today is around 56 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Towanna births was 1972 (39 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Towanna. 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
605
~ 1 in 566,536 Americans
Peak year
1972
39 babies that year
Average age
56
years old
1989 SSA rank
#10,780
Tracked since 1951
Popularity
Towanna: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Towanna from the 1950s through to the 1980s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 274 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1970s peak, Towanna remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Towanna 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 Towanna during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Towannas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 7 states and territories. New Jersey, District of Columbia, New York recorded the most babies named Towanna, while North Carolina, Georgia, Florida recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 14 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Towanna
The name Towanna is believed to have its origins in the Choctaw language, which is a Native American language spoken by the Choctaw people of the Southeastern United States. The name is thought to be derived from the Choctaw word "towa," which means "town" or "village."
In the Choctaw culture, names often had significant meanings and were carefully chosen to reflect the hopes and aspirations of the parents for their child. The name Towanna may have been given to a child born in a particular town or village, or it may have been used to express a wish for the child to be closely connected to their community.
While the exact origin and meaning of the name Towanna are not entirely clear, it is believed to have been in use among the Choctaw people for centuries before being adopted by other cultures and communities in more recent times.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Towanna date back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. One notable person with this name was Towanna Miller, an American artist and educator who lived from 1897 to 1977. She was known for her paintings and drawings depicting scenes from Native American life.
Another notable Towanna was Towanna Underwood, an American singer and songwriter who was born in 1954. She is best known for her work in the country music genre and has released several albums throughout her career.
In the realm of sports, Towanna Stafford was a professional basketball player who played in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) during the late 1990s and early 2000s. She was born in 1974 and played for several teams, including the Detroit Shock and the Seattle Storm.
Towanna Harris, an American actress born in 1976, has appeared in various television shows and films, including the popular sitcom "The Parkers" and the movie "Drumline."
Another notable figure with the name Towanna was Towanna Sellers, an American businesswoman and entrepreneur who founded the company Towanna's Bakery in the late 20th century. Her bakery became known for its delicious and innovative baked goods.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have borne the name Towanna throughout history, highlighting its presence across various fields and disciplines. While the name may have its roots in the Choctaw language and culture, it has transcended its origins and has been embraced by people from diverse backgrounds.
People
Towanna + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Towanna 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
Towanna: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Towanna?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 605 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Towanna 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 566,536 US residents.
Is Towanna a common name?
We classify Towanna as "Very Rare". It ranks above 86.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 708 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Towanna most popular?
The single biggest year for Towanna was 1972, when 39 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Towanna is about 56 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Towanna a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Towanna 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.