Total births
1,519
Girls' name · since 1970
Taneka
Since 1970, U.S. Social Security records show 1,519 babies named Taneka, peaking in 1982. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 1,519
- total births
- 1970–2012
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 42%
- born in that decade
1,519 girls have been named Taneka since 1970, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Taneka has been recorded 1,519 times among girls since 1970, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1980s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1970 to 2012.
- 1,519 total births
- 1970–2012 years on record
- 1980s peak decade
- 42% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
1,519 girls have been named Taneka since 1970, peaking in the 1980s, last recorded in 2012.
- 1,519
- total births
- 1970–2012
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 42%
- born in that decade
1980s
Peak decade
42% of everyone ever named Taneka was born in this single decade.
1982
Single peak year
106 babies were named Taneka in 1982 - its busiest year on record.
Taneka's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Taneka's full recorded timeline at 1988, 26% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 74% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 2004, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1982 peak of 106 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Taneka at a glance
Last recorded 2012Peak year
1982
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1970
Taneka popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1970–2012
- Peak year (1982)
- 106
- Annual births at peak, across 43 years of records
Taneka by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Taneka's strongest decade.
639 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 42% of all-time use.
Taneka births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s
1970s
571 births
- 1980s
1980s
639 births
- 1990s
1990s
258 births
- 2000s 46
2000s
46 births
- 2010s 5
2010s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 639 births (42% of all-time use).
How Taneka 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 Taneka's total volume
Taneka vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Taneka by state
Where Taneka concentrates geographically, total births since 1970
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Illinois | | 61 | 4.0% |
| #2 | Georgia | | 58 | 3.8% |
| #3 | North Carolina | | 57 | 3.8% |
| #4 | New York | | 47 | 3.1% |
| #5 | California | | 46 | 3.0% |
| #6 | Florida | | 40 | 2.6% |
| #7 | Texas | | 34 | 2.2% |
| #8 | Maryland | | 32 | 2.1% |
Illinois share of Taneka's total US births 4.0%
Even split
61 of 1,519 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 17 reporting states.
Taneka appears in 17 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Taneka? ▼
Taneka has been given to 1,519 babies in the U.S. since 1970, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 2012. 106 babies were born in 1982, its single highest year.
When was Taneka most popular? ▼
Taneka was most popular in the 1980s decade with 639 total births. The single peak year was 1982.
Where is Taneka most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Taneka are Illinois (61 births), Georgia (58 births), North Carolina (57 births).
How long has the name Taneka been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Taneka since 1970 -- 43 years through the most recent 2012 data.
What names are similar to Taneka? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Tanya, Tania, Tanisha, Tana, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Taneka's data
- Taneka's decade-level peak was the 1980s (639 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Illinois records the most Tanekas (61 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Illinois names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Taneka
Nearby Names Like Taneka
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Taneka
Tanya Girl
#3406 116,855 births
Tania Girl
#1929 28,891 births
Tanisha Girl
#5048 19,340 births
Tana Girl
#8032 9,274 births
Tanesha Girl
5,307 births
Compare Taneka side by side: Taneka vs Tanya Taneka vs Tania Taneka vs Tanisha
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of July 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, 1970–2012 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Taneka: Baby Name Since 1970 - 1,519 Births, Peak 1982." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/taneka. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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 Taneka 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 July 2026.