Tya
A feminine name of Hawaiian origin representing "child".
Name Census estimates that about 761 living Americans carry the first name Tya. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Tya today is around 30 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Tya births was 1999 (41 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Tya. 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
761
~ 1 in 450,400 Americans
Peak year
1999
41 babies that year
Average age
30
years old
2024 SSA rank
#15,059
Tracked since 1967
Popularity
Tya: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Tya from the 1960s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 245 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Tya 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 Tya during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Tyas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. Texas, California, Ohio recorded the most babies named Tya, while Ohio, California, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 7 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Tya
The name Tya is believed to have originated from the Latin language, with roots dating back to ancient Roman times. It is derived from the Latin word "tyia," which translates to "aunt" or "little aunt." This suggests that the name may have been initially used as an affectionate term for a young woman or a female relative.
In ancient Rome, names often held symbolic meanings or were associated with specific virtues or characteristics. While the exact origin of Tya as a given name is unclear, it is possible that it was initially bestowed upon individuals with a maternal or nurturing nature, or those who were considered to be caring and protective figures within their community.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tya can be found in the writings of the Roman historian Tacitus, who mentioned a woman by that name in his work "Annals." However, details about this individual are scarce, and it is uncertain whether Tya was her given name or a nickname.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Tya. One such person was Tya of Macedon, a noble woman who lived in the 4th century BC and was a member of the Macedonian royal court. She is mentioned in historical records as having been a companion to Queen Eurydice, the wife of King Amyntas III.
Another notable figure was Tya of Thebes, a Greek philosopher who lived in the 3rd century BC. She was a follower of the Pythagorean school of thought and is said to have authored several treatises on mathematics and geometry, although none of her works have survived to the present day.
In the medieval period, Tya was the name of a nun who lived in a convent in present-day Italy during the 12th century. She is remembered for her contributions to the preservation of ancient manuscripts and her role in the transcription and illumination of religious texts.
During the Renaissance, Tya Ferrero was an Italian painter and artist who lived in the 15th century. She was known for her vibrant and expressive portraits, and her works were highly regarded by her contemporaries.
In more recent times, Tya Helliwell was a British actress and singer who gained popularity in the 1960s and 1970s. She appeared in several films and television shows and was also a successful recording artist, releasing several albums during her career.
While the name Tya is not as common today as it once was, it still holds a rich historical significance and serves as a testament to the diverse cultural influences that have shaped the naming traditions throughout the ages.
People
Tya + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Tya 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
Tya: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Tya?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 761 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Tya 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 450,400 US residents.
Is Tya a common name?
We classify Tya as "Very Rare". It ranks above 88.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 791 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Tya most popular?
The single biggest year for Tya was 1999, when 41 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Tya is about 30 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Tya a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Tya 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.