Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1916

Tekla

Gender Girl Rank 2025 Below top lists

Tekla is a Latvian, Polish, Georgian, Ukrainian, Hungarian, and Scandinavian feminine given name.

Rank 2025
–
among girls
Babies in 2025
<5
named Tekla
How common
–
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1916
16 babies
All-time total
461
#12,452 all-time among girls
First recorded
1889
in Social Security records

Tekla popularity over time

461 babies have been named Tekla since 1889, 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
0.010.030.040.0518801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1889Girls

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 7 1 – #1,132
1890s 44 4 +529% #1,251
1900s 18 2 -59% #1,643
1910s 103 10 +472% #1,756
1920s 31 3 -70% #3,923
1930s 17 2 -45% #3,812
1940s 48 5 +182% #4,315
1950s 21 2 -56% #6,019
1960s 43 4 +105% #4,739
1970s 39 4 -9% #5,737
1980s 33 3 -15% #9,736
1990s 5 1 -85% #16,695
2000s 19 2 +280% #13,582
2010s 12 1 -37% #13,677
2020s (to 2025) 21 4 +192% #11,075

The story of Tekla

Tekla 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 1889, 461 American babies have been named Tekla. Its peak came in 1916, when 16 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1910s.

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 Tekla stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Tekla?

The median living Tekla is about 50 years old; half are between 26 and 65. An estimated 200 people named Tekla are alive in the United States today.

median 50 020406080100

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

Tekla 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 – –
2023 – –
2022 7 #13,450
2021 9 #11,075
2020 5 #17,289
2019 7 #13,677
2018 – –
2017 5 #18,200
2016 – –
2015 – –
2014 – –
2013 – –
2012 – –
2011 – –
2010 – –
2009 8 #13,582
2008 – –
2007 – –
2006 – –
2005 6 #16,270
2004 – –
2003 – –
2002 – –
2001 – –
2000 5 #17,396
1995 – –
1990 – –
1985 5 #12,328
1980 – –
1975 10 #5,952
1970 – –
1965 – –
1960 9 #4,739
1955 5 #6,632
1950 – –
1945 – –
1940 – –
1935 – –
1930 5 #5,172
1925 – –
1920 8 #3,923
1915 12 #2,514
1910 5 #2,749
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 7 #1,414
1890 5 #1,513
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Tekla

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

  1. 1 Tekla Bądarzewska-Baranowska Tekla Bądarzewska-Baranowska Polish composer 1834–1861 · 19th century

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Tekla?

The median living Tekla is about 50 years old. Half of all living Teklas are between 26 and 65 years old.

How many people named Tekla are alive today?

An estimated 200 people named Tekla are alive in the United States, based on 461 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Tekla mean?

Tekla is a Latvian, Polish, Georgian, Ukrainian, Hungarian, and Scandinavian feminine given name.

How popular is the name Tekla in 2025?

Tekla 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 Tekla?

461 babies have been named Tekla in the United States since 1889, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Tekla most popular?

Tekla peaked in 1916, when 16 newborns received the name.

Is Tekla a boy or girl name?

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

Is the name Tekla rising or falling?

Tekla has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Tekla?

Well-known people named Tekla include Tekla Bądarzewska-Baranowska (composer).

Names like Tekla

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

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