Total births
4,058
Girls' name · since 1944
Tawanda
4,058 babies named Tawanda in U.S. Social Security records since 1944, with the highest year being 1977. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- 4,058
- total births
- 1944–2003
- years on record
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 53%
- born in that decade
4,058 girls have been named Tawanda since 1944, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Tawanda has been recorded 4,058 times among girls since 1944, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1970s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1944 to 2003.
- 4,058 total births
- 1944–2003 years on record
- 1970s peak decade
- 53% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
4,058 girls have been named Tawanda since 1944, peaking in the 1970s, last recorded in 2003.
- 4,058
- total births
- 1944–2003
- years on record
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 53%
- born in that decade
1970s
Peak decade
53% of everyone ever named Tawanda was born in this single decade.
1977
Single peak year
260 babies were named Tawanda in 1977 - its busiest year on record.
Tawanda's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Tawanda's SSA record in two at 1976 and the more recent half accounts for 50% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 50%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1944, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1977 peak of 260, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Tawanda at a glance
Last recorded 2003Peak year
1977
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1944
Tawanda popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1944–2003
- Peak year (1977)
- 260
- Annual births at peak, across 60 years of records
Tawanda by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1970s was Tawanda's strongest decade.
2,141 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 53% of all-time use.
Tawanda births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1940s 10
1940s
10 births
- 1950s 72
1950s
72 births
- 1960s 712
1960s
712 births
- 1970s
1970s
2,141 births
- 1980s
1980s
927 births
- 1990s 184
1990s
184 births
- 2000s 12
2000s
12 births
What this shows Peak: 1970s at 2,141 births (53% of all-time use).
How Tawanda 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 Tawanda's total volume
Tawanda vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Tawanda by state
Where Tawanda concentrates geographically, total births since 1944
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Illinois | | 314 | 7.7% |
| #2 | Florida | | 232 | 5.7% |
| #3 | North Carolina | | 232 | 5.7% |
| #4 | Pennsylvania | | 222 | 5.5% |
| #5 | Alabama | | 218 | 5.4% |
| #6 | Georgia | | 216 | 5.3% |
| #7 | Virginia | | 206 | 5.1% |
| #8 | Mississippi | | 183 | 4.5% |
Illinois share of Tawanda's total US births 7.7%
Even split
314 of 4,058 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 21 reporting states.
Tawanda appears in 21 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Tawanda? ▼
Since 1944, Social Security records show 4,058 babies named Tawanda. The most recent recorded year was 2003. Its busiest year on record was 1977, with 260 births.
When was Tawanda most popular? ▼
Tawanda was most popular in the 1970s decade with 2,141 total births. The single peak year was 1977.
Where is Tawanda most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Tawanda are Illinois (314 births), Florida (232 births), North Carolina (232 births).
How long has the name Tawanda been used? ▼
Tawanda has been recorded in Social Security data since 1944, spanning 60 years of data through 2003.
What names are similar to Tawanda? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Tawana, Tawnya, Tawny, Tawanna, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Tawanda's data
- Tawanda's decade-level peak was the 1970s (2,141 total births); usage has since declined to 12 in the 2000s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Illinois records the most Tawandas (314 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 Tawanda
Nearby Names Like Tawanda
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Tawanda
Tawana Girl
6,545 births
Tawnya Girl
4,943 births
Tawny Girl
#15565 4,228 births
Tawanna Girl
3,874 births
Tawni Girl
1,876 births
Compare Tawanda side by side: Tawanda vs Tawana Tawanda vs Tawnya Tawanda vs Tawny
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of June 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, 1944–2003 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Tawanda: Baby Name Since 1944 - 4,058 Births, Peak 1977." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/tawanda. 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 Tawanda 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 June 2026.