Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 2023

Tian

Gender Unisex · 29% girls Rank 2025 #7,145

Tian is a male given name of South African and Chinese origin.

Rank 2025
#7,145
among boys · ↓2,835 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
12
named Tian · -52% vs 2024
How common
1 in 142,340
boys born in 2025
Peak year
2023
26 babies
All-time total
532
#9,314 all-time among boys
First recorded
1974
in Social Security records

Tian popularity over time

532 babies have been named Tian since 1974, 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
0.010.010.020.0218801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

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 Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – – – – – –
1910s – – – – – –
1920s – – – – – –
1930s – – – – – –
1940s – – – – – –
1950s – – – – – –
1960s – – – – – –
1970s 16 – 16 2 – –
1980s 13 7 20 2 +25% #5,432
1990s 46 37 83 8 +315% #6,263
2000s 57 99 156 16 +88% #6,066
2010s 21 129 150 15 -4% #5,280
2020s (to 2025) – 107 107 18 +19% #4,205

The story of Tian

Tian is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #7,145 in 2025 with 12 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1974, 532 American babies have been named Tian, about 71% boys and 29% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2023, when 26 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2020s.

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

How old are people named Tian?

The median living Tian is about 16 years old; half are between 7 and 24. An estimated 500 people named Tian are alive in the United States today.

median 16 020406080100

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

Tian 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 – – 12 #7,145
2024 – – 25 #4,310
2023 – – 26 #4,205
2022 – – 18 #5,418
2021 – – 13 #6,639
2020 – – 13 #6,583
2019 – – 16 #5,784
2018 5 #17,919 18 #5,296
2017 – – 18 #5,280
2016 5 #18,643 12 #7,102
2015 – – 10 #7,984
2014 – – 8 #9,541
2013 – – 12 #6,978
2012 5 #19,311 11 #7,501
2011 – – 14 #6,220
2010 6 #16,819 10 #8,072
2009 5 #19,971 13 #6,772
2008 – – 5 #14,396
2007 8 #13,835 12 #7,038
2006 9 #12,351 14 #6,066
2005 5 #18,962 11 #7,056
2004 7 #14,072 10 #7,473
2003 6 #15,624 12 #6,214
2002 7 #13,496 11 #6,486
2001 5 #17,759 5 #12,148
2000 5 #17,418 6 #10,243
1995 7 #11,692 7 #7,725
1990 – – – –
1985 – – – –
1980 7 #9,025 – –
1975 6 #8,972 – –
1970 – – – –
1965 – – – –
1960 – – – –
1955 – – – –
1950 – – – –
1945 – – – –
1940 – – – –
1935 – – – –
1930 – – – –
1925 – – – –
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Tian

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

  1. 1 Tian Han Tian Han Chinese playwright and writer (1898–1968) 19th century
  2. 2 Tian Zhuangzhuang Tian Zhuangzhuang Chinese filmmaker b. 1952 · Contemporary
  3. 3 Tian Qing Tian Qing Chinese badminton player (born 1986) Contemporary
  4. 4 Tian Liang Chinese diver and actor b. 1979 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Tian?

The median living Tian is about 16 years old. Half of all living Tians are between 7 and 24 years old.

How many people named Tian are alive today?

An estimated 500 people named Tian are alive in the United States, based on 532 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Tian mean?

Tian is a male given name of South African and Chinese origin.

How popular is the name Tian in 2025?

Tian ranked #7,145 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 12 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Tian?

532 babies have been named Tian in the United States since 1974, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Tian most popular?

Tian peaked in 2023, when 26 newborns received the name.

Is Tian a boy or girl name?

Tian is used for both: about 29% of babies named Tian have been girls and 71% boys.

Is the name Tian rising or falling?

Tian is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Tian?

Well-known people named Tian include Tian Han (writer), Tian Zhuangzhuang (film director), Tian Qing (badminton player).

Names like Tian

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

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