Tenzin
Borrowed from Tibetan བསྟན་འཛིན (bstan 'dzin).
Every Tenzin since 1992 — 2,906 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Tenzin
Tenzin is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,254 in 2025 with 63 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1992, 2,906 American babies have been named Tenzin — about 57% boys and 43% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2014, when 141 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 Tenzin stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Tenzin 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 | 36 | #4,061 | 63 | #2,254 |
| 2024 | 50 | #3,220 | 63 | #2,286 |
| 2023 | 66 | #2,670 | 48 | #2,729 |
| 2022 | 48 | #3,361 | 67 | #2,187 |
| 2021 | 47 | #3,385 | 54 | #2,491 |
| 2020 | 34 | #4,158 | 62 | #2,232 |
| 2019 | 56 | #2,960 | 74 | #1,999 |
| 2018 | 53 | #3,100 | 66 | #2,141 |
| 2017 | 51 | #3,190 | 80 | #1,857 |
| 2016 | 51 | #3,224 | 86 | #1,786 |
| 2015 | 56 | #3,056 | 77 | #1,908 |
| 2014 | 55 | #3,075 | 86 | #1,762 |
| 2013 | 50 | #3,263 | 74 | #1,911 |
| 2012 | 54 | #3,129 | 83 | #1,797 |
| 2011 | 52 | #3,219 | 67 | #2,033 |
| 2010 | 50 | #3,300 | 65 | #2,093 |
| 2009 | 61 | #2,887 | 63 | #2,163 |
| 2008 | 53 | #3,218 | 58 | #2,288 |
| 2007 | 47 | #3,527 | 59 | #2,253 |
| 2006 | 36 | #4,158 | 43 | #2,734 |
| 2005 | 38 | #3,866 | 46 | #2,488 |
| 2004 | 28 | #4,808 | 40 | #2,690 |
| 2003 | 35 | #3,942 | 30 | #3,181 |
| 2002 | 24 | #5,076 | 38 | #2,598 |
| 2001 | 21 | #5,555 | 29 | #3,139 |
| 2000 | 27 | #4,517 | 35 | #2,668 |
| 1995 | — | — | 9 | #6,351 |
| 1990 | — | — | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Tenzin mean?
Borrowed from Tibetan བསྟན་འཛིན (bstan 'dzin).
How popular is the name Tenzin in 2025?
Tenzin ranked #2,254 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 63 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Tenzin?
2,906 babies have been named Tenzin in the United States since 1992, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Tenzin most popular?
Tenzin peaked in 2014, when 141 newborns received the name.
Is Tenzin a boy or girl name?
Tenzin is used for both: about 43% of babies named Tenzin have been girls and 57% boys.
Is the name Tenzin rising or falling?
Tenzin is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.