Total births
1,438
Girls' name · since 1967
Tenesha
1,438 babies named Tenesha in U.S. Social Security records since 1967, with the highest year being 1984. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- 1,438
- total births
- 1967–2001
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 49%
- born in that decade
Tenesha is not among the current top-ranked girls names; 1,438 have been recorded since 1967.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Tenesha has been recorded 1,438 times among girls since 1967, 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 1967 to 2001.
- 1,438 total births
- 1967–2001 years on record
- 1980s peak decade
- 49% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
1,438 girls have been named Tenesha since 1967, peaking in the 1980s, last recorded in 2001.
- 1,438
- total births
- 1967–2001
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 49%
- born in that decade
1980s
Peak decade
49% of everyone ever named Tenesha was born in this single decade.
1984
Single peak year
97 babies were named Tenesha in 1984 - its busiest year on record.
Tenesha's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Tenesha's SSA record in two at 1985 and the more recent half accounts for 44% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 56%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1969, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1984 peak of 97, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Tenesha at a glance
Last recorded 2001Peak year
1984
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1967
Tenesha popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1967–2001
- Peak year (1984)
- 97
- Annual births at peak, across 35 years of records
Tenesha by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Tenesha's strongest decade.
707 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 49% of all-time use.
Tenesha births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1960s 12
1960s
12 births
- 1970s
1970s
399 births
- 1980s
1980s
707 births
- 1990s
1990s
299 births
- 2000s 21
2000s
21 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 707 births (49% of all-time use).
How Tenesha 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 Tenesha's total volume
Tenesha vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Tenesha by state
Where Tenesha concentrates geographically, total births since 1967
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Illinois | | 99 | 6.9% |
| #2 | California | | 74 | 5.1% |
| #3 | Texas | | 49 | 3.4% |
| #4 | New York | | 48 | 3.3% |
| #5 | Louisiana | | 35 | 2.4% |
| #6 | Georgia | | 31 | 2.2% |
| #7 | Florida | | 24 | 1.7% |
| #8 | Michigan | | 20 | 1.4% |
Illinois share of Tenesha's total US births 6.9%
Even split
99 of 1,438 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 15 reporting states.
Tenesha appears in 15 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Tenesha? ▼
Since 1967, Social Security records show 1,438 babies named Tenesha. The most recent recorded year was 2001. Its busiest year on record was 1984, with 97 births.
When was Tenesha most popular? ▼
Tenesha was most popular in the 1980s decade with 707 total births. The single peak year was 1984.
Where is Tenesha most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Tenesha are Illinois (99 births), California (74 births), Texas (49 births).
How long has the name Tenesha been used? ▼
Tenesha has been recorded in Social Security data since 1967, spanning 35 years of data through 2001.
What names are similar to Tenesha? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Tena, Tenley, Tenisha, Tennie, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Tenesha's data
- Tenesha's decade-level peak was the 1980s (707 total births); usage has since declined to 21 in the 2000s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Illinois records the most Teneshas (99 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 Tenesha
Nearby Names Like Tenesha
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Tenesha
Tena Girl
8,186 births
Tenley Girl
#2124 6,854 births
Tenisha Girl
3,501 births
Tennie Girl
2,777 births
Tennille Girl
#12467 2,184 births
Compare Tenesha side by side: Tenesha vs Tena Tenesha vs Tenley Tenesha vs Tenisha
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, 1967–2001 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Tenesha: Baby Name Since 1967 - 1,438 Births, Peak 1984." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/tenesha. 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 Tenesha 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.