Total births
2,580
Girls' name · since 1943
Tanja
Tanja has 2,580 recorded births since 1943 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1970 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 2,580
- total births
- 1943–2007
- years on record
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 37%
- born in that decade
2,580 girls have been named Tanja since 1943, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Social Security Administration records show Tanja recorded 2,580 times among girls since 1943, 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 1943 to 2007.
- 2,580 total births
- 1943–2007 years on record
- 1960s peak decade
- 37% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
2,580 girls have been named Tanja since 1943, peaking in the 1960s, last recorded in 2007.
- 2,580
- total births
- 1943–2007
- years on record
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 37%
- born in that decade
1960s
Peak decade
37% of everyone ever named Tanja was born in this single decade.
1970
Single peak year
153 babies were named Tanja in 1970 - its busiest year on record.
Tanja's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Tanja's SSA record in two at 1976 and the more recent half accounts for 28% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 72%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1943, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1970 peak of 153, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Tanja at a glance
Last recorded 2007Peak year
1970
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1943
Tanja popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1943–2007
- Peak year (1970)
- 153
- Annual births at peak, across 65 years of records
Tanja by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Tanja's strongest decade.
951 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 37% of all-time use.
Tanja births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1940s 10
1940s
10 births
- 1950s 210
1950s
210 births
- 1960s
1960s
951 births
- 1970s
1970s
924 births
- 1980s 329
1980s
329 births
- 1990s 126
1990s
126 births
- 2000s 30
2000s
30 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 951 births (37% of all-time use).
How Tanja 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 Tanja's total volume
Tanja vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Tanja by state
Where Tanja concentrates geographically, total births since 1943
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 226 | 8.8% |
| #2 | Illinois | | 111 | 4.3% |
| #3 | Texas | | 105 | 4.1% |
| #4 | New York | | 101 | 3.9% |
| #5 | Ohio | | 71 | 2.8% |
| #6 | Louisiana | | 33 | 1.3% |
| #7 | Michigan | | 32 | 1.2% |
| #8 | Florida | | 30 | 1.2% |
California share of Tanja's total US births 8.8%
Even split
226 of 2,580 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 19 reporting states.
Tanja appears in 19 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Tanja? ▼
Tanja has been given to 2,580 babies in the U.S. since 1943, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 2007. 153 babies were born in 1970, its single highest year.
When was Tanja most popular? ▼
Tanja was most popular in the 1960s decade with 951 total births. The single peak year was 1970.
Where is Tanja most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Tanja are California (226 births), Illinois (111 births), Texas (105 births).
How long has the name Tanja been used? ▼
Records for Tanja go back to 1943, giving 65 years of history through 2007.
What names are similar to Tanja? ▼
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 Tanja's data
- Tanja's decade-level peak was the 1960s (951 total births); usage has since declined to 30 in the 2000s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Tanjas (226 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Tanja
Nearby Names Like Tanja
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Tanja
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 Tanja side by side: Tanja vs Tanya Tanja vs Tania Tanja 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, 1943–2007 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Tanja: Baby Name Since 1943 - 2,580 Births, Peak 1970." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/tanja. 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 Tanja 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.