Twanna
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly a variant of Jovana or Juana.
Name Census estimates that about 1,169 living Americans carry the first name Twanna. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Twanna today is around 53 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Twanna births was 1977 (132 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Twanna. 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
1.2K
~ 1 in 293,203 Americans
Peak year
1977
132 babies that year
Average age
53
years old
1997 SSA rank
#12,009
Tracked since 1948
Popularity
Twanna: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Twanna from the 1940s through to the 1990s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 625 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
Twanna 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 Twanna during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Twannas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 18 states and territories. North Carolina, Florida, New York recorded the most babies named Twanna, while Virginia, Indiana, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 22 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Twanna
The name Twanna originates from the African language of Swahili, spoken primarily in East Africa. It is believed to have derived from the word "tawana," which means "we are blessed" or "we have been favored." The name's origins can be traced back to the 18th century and the coastal regions of present-day Kenya and Tanzania.
In the early 19th century, as the transatlantic slave trade reached its peak, many Africans were forcibly brought to the Americas, carrying with them their cultural traditions, including names like Twanna. The name became more widely adopted and adapted in the United States, particularly among African American communities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Twanna can be found in the 1850 United States Federal Census, where a woman named Twanna Johnson was listed as a resident of South Carolina. Another notable historical figure with the name was Twanna Coleman (1886-1972), an American educator and civil rights activist from Mississippi.
In the 20th century, the name gained popularity, and several notable individuals bore it. Twanna Simmons (1914-2005) was an American gospel singer and songwriter known for her contributions to the genre. Twanna Hines (1935-2001) was an American fashion designer and entrepreneur who founded the successful clothing line "Tress Line."
Another notable figure was Twanna Braxton (born 1962), an American singer-songwriter and the eldest sister of the renowned Braxton family. She has released several albums and is known for her work in the gospel and contemporary Christian music genres.
Twanna Farrar (born 1965) is an American former professional basketball player who played in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and represented the United States in international competitions, winning a gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics.
Throughout history, the name Twanna has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, athletes, educators, and activists, reflecting its rich cultural heritage and the diversity of those who bear it.
People
Twanna + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Twanna 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
Twanna: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Twanna?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,169 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Twanna 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 293,203 US residents.
Is Twanna a common name?
We classify Twanna as "Rare". It ranks above 91.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,333 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Twanna most popular?
The single biggest year for Twanna was 1977, when 132 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Twanna is about 53 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Twanna a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Twanna 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.