Total births
814
Unisex name · since 1975
Tien
Since 1975, U.S. Social Security records show 814 babies named Tien, peaking in 1992. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #10149
- among boys today
- 814
- born since 1975
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 29%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Tien is the #10149 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 814 recorded since 1975.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Tien has been recorded 814 times among boys since 1975, currently ranked #10149 nationally and more common than 29% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1990s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1975 to 2025.
- #10149 among boys today
- 814 born since 1975
- 1990s peak decade
- 29% more common than other boys
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Tien is currently the #10149 unisex name in America, more common than 29% of boys - 814 born since 1975, peaking in the 1990s.
- #10149
- among boys today
- 814
- born since 1975
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 29%
- more common than other boys
Tien vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#10149
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 29% of names given to boys today.
1990s
Peak decade
25% of everyone ever named Tien was born in this single decade.
1992
Single peak year
30 babies were named Tien in 1992 - its busiest year on record.
How Tien compares
814 Top 34% higher than 66% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys 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
Tien's all-time total is 122% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Tien | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 814 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 30 | 23 | 22,252 |
Tien's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Tien's full recorded timeline at 2000, 47% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 53% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1975, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1992 peak of 30 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Tien at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1992
Current rank
#10,149
Active since
1975
Tien popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1975–2025
- Peak year (1992)
- 30
- Annual births at peak, across 51 years of records
Tien popularity over time - girls
506 total births recorded since 1976 (Tien as girls' name)
Tien by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Tien's strongest decade.
203 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 25% of all-time use.
Tien births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 42
1970s
42 births
- 1980s
1980s
183 births
- 1990s
1990s
203 births
- 2000s
2000s
173 births
- 2010s
2010s
153 births
- 2020s 60
2020s
60 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 203 births (25% of all-time use).
How Tien compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Tien's total volume
Tien vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Tien by state
Where Tien concentrates geographically, total births since 1975
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 116 | 14.3% |
| #2 | Texas | | 12 | 1.5% |
California share of Tien's total US births 14.3%
Even split
116 of 814 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Tien? ▼
Since 1975, Social Security records show 814 babies named Tien. Today it holds rank #10149 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1992, with 30 births.
When was Tien most popular? ▼
Tien was most popular in the 1990s decade with 203 total births. The single peak year was 1992.
Where is Tien most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Tien are California (116 births), Texas (12 births).
Is Tien a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Tien is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 814 births, and as a girl's name it has 506 births.
How long has the name Tien been used? ▼
Tien has been recorded in Social Security data since 1975, spanning 51 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Tien? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Tiernan, Tierre, Tieler, Tiegan, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Tien's data
- Tien's decade-level peak was the 1990s (203 total births); usage has since declined to 60 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Tiens (116 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 Tien
Nearby Names Like Tien
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Tien
Tiernan Boy
#4142 1,481 births
Tierre Boy
#12676 380 births
Tieler Boy
199 births
Tiegan Boy
88 births
Tierra Boy
70 births
Compare Tien side by side: Tien vs Tiernan Tien vs Tierre Tien vs Tieler
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Tien
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, 1975–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Tien: #10149 Unisex Name - 814 Births, Peak 1992." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/tien. 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 Tien 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.