Total births
986
Unisex name · since 1880
Tennessee
Tennessee has 986 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2021 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #5971
- among girls today
- 986
- born since 1880
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 66%
- more common than other girls
Tennessee currently ranks #5971 among unisex names in America, with 986 babies recorded since 1880.
Social Security Administration records show Tennessee recorded 986 times among girls since 1880, holding rank #5971 nationally today, ahead of 66% of girls, peaking in the 2010s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #5971 among girls today
- 986 born since 1880
- 2010s peak decade
- 66% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Tennessee is currently the #5971 unisex name in America, more common than 66% of girls - 986 born since 1880, peaking in the 2010s.
- #5971
- among girls today
- 986
- born since 1880
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 66%
- more common than other girls
Tennessee vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#5971
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 66% of names given to girls today.
2010s
Peak decade
23% of everyone ever named Tennessee was born in this single decade.
2021
Single peak year
39 babies were named Tennessee in 2021 - its busiest year on record.
How Tennessee compares
986 Top 32% higher than 68% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Tennessee's all-time total is 158% above the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Tennessee | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 986 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 39 | 48 | 19,840 |
Tennessee's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Tennessee's SSA record in two at 1927 and the more recent half accounts for 58% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 42%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1880, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2021 peak of 39, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Tennessee at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2021
Current rank
#5,971
Active since
1880
Tennessee popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (2021)
- 39
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Tennessee popularity over time - boys
381 total births recorded since 1995 (Tennessee as boys' name)
Tennessee by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Tennessee's strongest decade.
228 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 23% of all-time use.
Tennessee births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 60
1880s
60 births
- 1890s 79
1890s
79 births
- 1900s 90
1900s
90 births
- 1910s
1910s
119 births
- 1920s 79
1920s
79 births
- 1930s 35
1930s
35 births
- 1940s 23
1940s
23 births
- 1990s 38
1990s
38 births
- 2000s 81
2000s
81 births
- 2010s
2010s
228 births
- 2020s
2020s
154 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 228 births (23% of all-time use).
How Tennessee 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 Tennessee's total volume
Tennessee vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Tennessee by state
Where Tennessee concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 17 | 1.7% |
| #2 | Texas | | 15 | 1.5% |
| #3 | Tennessee | | 11 | 1.1% |
| #4 | Florida | | 5 | 0.5% |
| #5 | Oklahoma | | 5 | 0.5% |
California share of Tennessee's total US births 1.7%
Even split
17 of 986 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 5 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Tennessee? ▼
Tennessee has been given to 986 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #5971 as of the latest data. 39 babies were born in 2021, its single highest year.
When was Tennessee most popular? ▼
Tennessee was most popular in the 2010s decade with 228 total births. The single peak year was 2021.
Where is Tennessee most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Tennessee are California (17 births), Texas (15 births), Tennessee (11 births).
Is Tennessee a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Tennessee is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 986 births, and as a boy's name it has 381 births.
How long has the name Tennessee been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Tennessee since 1880 -- 146 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Tennessee? ▼
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 Tennessee's data
- Tennessee's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (228 total births) through the 2020s (154) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Tennessees (17 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 Tennessee
Nearby Names Like Tennessee
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Tennessee
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 Tennessee side by side: Tennessee vs Tena Tennessee vs Tenley Tennessee vs Tenisha
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Tennessee
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, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Tennessee: #5971 Unisex Name - 986 Births, Peak 2021." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/tennessee. 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 Tennessee 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.