Total births
1,254
Boys' name · since 1980
Tou
1,254 babies named Tou in U.S. Social Security records since 1980, with the highest year being 1990. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- 1,254
- total births
- 1980–2015
- years on record
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 46%
- born in that decade
Tou sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 1,254 recorded since 1980.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Tou has been recorded 1,254 times among boys since 1980, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, 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 1980 to 2015.
- 1,254 total births
- 1980–2015 years on record
- 1990s peak decade
- 46% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
1,254 boys have been named Tou since 1980, peaking in the 1990s, last recorded in 2015.
- 1,254
- total births
- 1980–2015
- years on record
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 46%
- born in that decade
1990s
Peak decade
46% of everyone ever named Tou was born in this single decade.
1990
Single peak year
82 babies were named Tou in 1990 - its busiest year on record.
Tou's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Tou's SSA record in two at 1996 and the more recent half accounts for 23% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 77%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 2006, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1990 peak of 82, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Tou at a glance
Last recorded 2015Peak year
1990
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1980
Tou popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1980–2015
- Peak year (1990)
- 82
- Annual births at peak, across 36 years of records
Tou by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Tou's strongest decade.
578 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 46% of all-time use.
Tou births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1980s
1980s
543 births
- 1990s
1990s
578 births
- 2000s 110
2000s
110 births
- 2010s 23
2010s
23 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 578 births (46% of all-time use).
How Tou 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 Tou's total volume
Tou vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Tou by state
Where Tou concentrates geographically, total births since 1980
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 494 | 39.4% |
| #2 | Minnesota | | 287 | 22.9% |
| #3 | Wisconsin | | 227 | 18.1% |
| #4 | Michigan | | 5 | 0.4% |
| #5 | Rhode Island | | 5 | 0.4% |
California share of Tou's total US births 39.4%
Even split
494 of 1,254 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 5 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Tou? ▼
Since 1980, Social Security records show 1,254 babies named Tou. The most recent recorded year was 2015. Its busiest year on record was 1990, with 82 births.
When was Tou most popular? ▼
Tou was most popular in the 1990s decade with 578 total births. The single peak year was 1990.
Where is Tou most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Tou are California (494 births), Minnesota (287 births), Wisconsin (227 births).
How long has the name Tou been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Tou since 1980 -- 36 years through the most recent 2015 data.
What names are similar to Tou? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Toussaint, Toure, Toua, Touger, and 1 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Tou's data
- Tou's decade-level peak was the 1990s (578 total births); usage has since declined to 23 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Tous (494 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 Tou
Nearby Names Like Tou
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Tou
Toussaint Boy
#5685 527 births
Toure Boy
#11152 420 births
Toua Boy
170 births
Touger Boy
47 births
Toufic Boy
7 births
Compare Tou side by side: Tou vs Toussaint Tou vs Toure Tou vs Toua
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, 1980–2015 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Tou: Baby Name Since 1980 - 1,254 Births, Peak 1990." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/tou. 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 Tou 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.