Tennyson
Every Tennyson since 1913 — 1,586 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Tennyson
Tennyson is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #4,521 in 2025 with 23 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1913, 1,586 American babies have been named Tennyson — about 75% boys and 25% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2017, when 80 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
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 Tennyson stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Tennyson year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8 | #11,833 | 23 | #4,521 |
| 2024 | 8 | #12,058 | 29 | #3,887 |
| 2023 | 13 | #8,450 | 21 | #4,871 |
| 2022 | 17 | #6,960 | 31 | #3,683 |
| 2021 | 12 | #8,930 | 24 | #4,348 |
| 2020 | 18 | #6,611 | 35 | #3,262 |
| 2019 | 22 | #5,779 | 43 | #2,893 |
| 2018 | 27 | #4,996 | 44 | #2,788 |
| 2017 | 43 | #3,622 | 37 | #3,190 |
| 2016 | 37 | #4,074 | 34 | #3,353 |
| 2015 | 22 | #6,015 | 46 | #2,676 |
| 2014 | 25 | #5,440 | 48 | #2,578 |
| 2013 | 21 | #6,235 | 44 | #2,708 |
| 2012 | 15 | #8,183 | 32 | #3,440 |
| 2011 | 15 | #8,162 | 34 | #3,296 |
| 2010 | 18 | #7,190 | 39 | #3,006 |
| 2009 | 12 | #9,932 | 29 | #3,710 |
| 2008 | 19 | #7,048 | 34 | #3,338 |
| 2007 | 14 | #8,972 | 29 | #3,680 |
| 2006 | 11 | #10,557 | 26 | #3,876 |
| 2005 | 6 | #16,275 | 18 | #4,801 |
| 2004 | 7 | #14,061 | 19 | #4,584 |
| 2003 | 8 | #12,320 | 12 | #6,211 |
| 2002 | — | — | 13 | #5,689 |
| 2001 | — | — | 9 | #7,450 |
| 2000 | — | — | 18 | #4,367 |
| 1995 | — | — | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — | 5 | #9,359 |
| 1985 | — | — | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — | 8 | #4,274 |
| 1970 | — | — | 7 | #4,192 |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | 6 | #3,842 |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | 6 | #3,295 |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | 5 | #4,093 |
| 1930 | — | — | 10 | #2,767 |
| 1925 | — | — | 6 | #4,148 |
| 1920 | — | — | 8 | #3,467 |
| 1915 | — | — | 12 | #2,293 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Tennyson in 2025?
Tennyson ranked #4,521 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 23 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Tennyson?
1,586 babies have been named Tennyson in the United States since 1913, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Tennyson most popular?
Tennyson peaked in 2017, when 80 newborns received the name.
Is Tennyson a boy or girl name?
Tennyson is used for both: about 25% of babies named Tennyson have been girls and 75% boys.
Is the name Tennyson rising or falling?
Tennyson is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.