Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1989

Tawny

Gender Girl Rank 2025 Below top lists

Tawny, Tawni or Tawney is an English given name often given in reference to the color tawny, a pale orange-brown, or yellow-brown color.

Rank 2025
–
among girls
Babies in 2025
<5
named Tawny
How common
–
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1989
217 babies
All-time total
4,228
#2,880 all-time among girls
First recorded
1947
in Social Security records

Tawny popularity over time

4,228 babies have been named Tawny since 1947, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.040.080.110.1518801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1989Girls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s – – – –
1920s – – – –
1930s – – – –
1940s 27 3 – #3,577
1950s 185 19 +585% #2,064
1960s 511 51 +176% #1,276
1970s 575 58 +13% #1,152
1980s 1,542 154 +168% #860
1990s 1,052 105 -32% #1,012
2000s 256 26 -76% #3,721
2010s 64 6 -75% #9,099
2020s (to 2025) 16 3 -58% #15,005

The story of Tawny

Tawny is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1947, 4,228 American babies have been named Tawny. Its peak came in 1989, when 217 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1980s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Tawny stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Tawny?

The median living Tawny is about 39 years old; half are between 33 and 47. An estimated 4,100 people named Tawny are alive in the United States today.

median 39 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Tawny year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank
2025 – –
2024 5 #17,438
2023 6 #15,005
2022 – –
2021 5 #17,445
2020 – –
2019 – –
2018 6 #15,494
2017 – –
2016 10 #10,784
2015 – –
2014 10 #10,878
2013 5 #19,032
2012 7 #14,835
2011 13 #9,099
2010 13 #9,178
2009 11 #10,611
2008 17 #7,719
2007 25 #5,689
2006 21 #6,335
2005 37 #3,939
2004 20 #6,193
2003 38 #3,721
2002 27 #4,606
2001 30 #4,198
2000 30 #4,175
1995 85 #1,727
1990 180 #1,012
1985 141 #1,055
1980 119 #1,149
1975 40 #2,165
1970 61 #1,582
1965 47 #1,654
1960 44 #1,724
1955 23 #2,335
1950 15 #2,766
1945 – –
1940 – –
1935 – –
1930 – –
1925 – –
1920 – –
1915 – –
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Tawny

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Tawny Kitaen Tawny Kitaen American actress (1961–2021) Contemporary
  2. 2 Tawny Cypress American actress b. 1976 · Contemporary
  3. 3 Tawny Roberts Pornographic actor, United States b. 1979 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Tawny, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Tawny?

The median living Tawny is about 39 years old. Half of all living Tawnys are between 33 and 47 years old.

How many people named Tawny are alive today?

An estimated 4,100 people named Tawny are alive in the United States, based on 4,228 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Tawny mean?

Tawny, Tawni or Tawney is an English given name often given in reference to the color tawny, a pale orange-brown, or yellow-brown color.

How popular is the name Tawny in 2025?

Tawny did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Tawny?

4,228 babies have been named Tawny in the United States since 1947, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Tawny most popular?

Tawny peaked in 1989, when 217 newborns received the name.

Is Tawny a boy or girl name?

Tawny is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Tawny rising or falling?

Tawny is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Tawny?

Well-known people named Tawny include Tawny Kitaen (actor), Tawny Cypress (actor), Tawny Roberts (pornographic actor).

Names like Tawny

Names that sound and feel close to Tawny: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Tawny with similar names → More names starting with T →