Girls' name · since 1947
Tamela
Since 1947, U.S. Social Security records show 7,186 babies named Tamela, peaking in 1959. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #2,043 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 7,186
- born since 1947
- 1960s
- peak decade
7,186 girls have been named Tamela since 1947, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Social Security Administration records show Tamela recorded 7,186 times among girls since 1947, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1960s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1947 to 2018.
- #2,043 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 7,186 born since 1947
- 1960s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Tamela ranks #2,043 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 7,186 born since 1947, peaking in the 1960s.
- #2,043 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 7,186
- born since 1947
- 1960s
- peak decade
Tamela's 7,186 recorded births place it above 97.17% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
36 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Ohio.
Tamela's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Tamela's SSA record in two at 1979 and the more recent half accounts for 15% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 85%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 2005, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1959 peak of 390, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Tamela popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1947–2018
- Peak year (1959)
- 390
- Annual births at peak, across 72 years of records
Tamela by decade
1960s is the heaviest window (3,436 births, 48% of the file).
1960s was Tamela's strongest decade.
3,436 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 48% of all-time use.
Tamela births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1940s 25
1940s
25 births
- 1950s 997
1950s
997 births
- 1960s
1960s
3,436 births
- 1970s
1970s
1,735 births
- 1980s 674
1980s
674 births
- 1990s 226
1990s
226 births
- 2000s 74
2000s
74 births
- 2010s 19
2010s
19 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 3,436 births (48% of all-time use).
How Tamela compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Tamela's total volume
Tamela by state
Where Tamela concentrates geographically, total births since 1947
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Ohio | | 552 | 7.7% |
| #2 | Texas | | 381 | 5.3% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 318 | 4.4% |
| #4 | Michigan | | 310 | 4.3% |
| #5 | California | | 299 | 4.2% |
| #6 | North Carolina | | 281 | 3.9% |
| #7 | Indiana | | 269 | 3.7% |
| #8 | Alabama | | 265 | 3.7% |
552 of 7,186 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 36 reporting states.
Tamela appears in 36 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Tamela? ▼
Where does Tamela sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Tamela most popular? ▼
Where is Tamela most popular? ▼
How long has the name Tamela been used? ▼
What names are similar to Tamela? ▼
What to do with Tamela's data
- Tamela's decade-level peak was the 1960s (3,436 total births); usage has since declined to 19 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Ohio records the most Tamelas (552 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Ohio names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Tamela
Nearby Names Like Tamela
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Tamela
Compare Tamela side by side: Tamela vs Tammy Tamela vs Tamara Tamela vs Tami
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Tamela: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1959)
Similar record span (~71 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1947–2018 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Tamela draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.