Unisex name · since 1978
Tu
Since 1978, U.S. Social Security records show 313 babies named Tu, peaking in 1987. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #10,346 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 313
- born since 1978
- 1980s
- peak decade
Tu sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 313 recorded since 1978.
Social Security Administration records show Tu recorded 313 times among boys since 1978, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1980s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1978 to 2011.
- #10,346 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 313 born since 1978
- 1980s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Tu ranks #10,346 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 313 born since 1978, peaking in the 1980s.
- #10,346 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 313
- born since 1978
- 1980s
- peak decade
Tu's 313 recorded births place it above 77.25% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 2 jurisdictions, led by California.
Tu's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Tu splits its recorded history at 1992: 34% of all births land in the more recent half, 66% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1995 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1987 peak of 25 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Tu popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1978–2011
- Peak year (1987)
- 25
- Annual births at peak, across 34 years of records
Tu popularity over time - girls
114 total births recorded since 1978 (Tu as girls' name)
Tu by decade
1980s is the heaviest window (166 births, 53% of the file).
1980s was Tu's strongest decade.
166 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 53% of all-time use.
Tu births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 17
1970s
17 births
- 1980s
1980s
166 births
- 1990s
1990s
91 births
- 2000s 33
2000s
33 births
- 2010s 6
2010s
6 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 166 births (53% of all-time use).
Tu by state
Where Tu concentrates geographically, total births since 1978
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 66 | 21.1% |
| #2 | Texas | | 6 | 1.9% |
66 of 313 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Tu's data
- Tu's decade-level peak was the 1980s (166 total births); usage has since declined to 6 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Tus (66 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Tu
Nearby Names Like Tu
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Tu
Compare Tu side by side: Tu vs Tucker Tu vs Turner Tu vs Tuan
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Tu: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1987)
Similar record span (~33 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1978–2011 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Tu 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 August 2026.