Tonja: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

–

among girls

Babies in 2025

named Tonja

How common

–

girls born in 2025

Peak year

1967

512 babies

All-time total

6,994

#2,079 all-time among girls

First recorded

1940

in Social Security records

Tonja popularity over time

6,994 babies have been named Tonja since 1940, 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

GirlsBoys

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	104	–	104	10	–	#2,129
1950s	533	–	533	53	+413%	#958
1960s	3,352	5	3,357	336	+530%	#408
1970s	2,414	–	2,414	241	-28%	#464
1980s	435	–	435	44	-82%	#1,581
1990s	124	–	124	12	-71%	#4,226
2000s	27	–	27	3	-78%	#9,435
2010s	–	–	–	–	–	–
2020s (to 2025)	–	–	–	–	–	–

The story of Tonja

Tonja 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 1940, 6,994 American babies have been named Tonja. Its peak came in 1967, when 512 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1960s.

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

How old are people named Tonja?

The median living Tonja is about 56 years old; half are between 52 and 60. An estimated 6,500 people named Tonja are alive in the United States today.

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

Tonja 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	–	–	–	–
2024	–	–	–	–
2023	–	–	–	–
2022	–	–	–	–
2021	–	–	–	–
2020	–	–	–	–
2019	–	–	–	–
2018	–	–	–	–
2017	–	–	–	–
2016	–	–	–	–
2015	–	–	–	–
2014	–	–	–	–
2013	–	–	–	–
2012	–	–	–	–
2011	–	–	–	–
2010	–	–	–	–
2009	–	–	–	–
2008	–	–	–	–
2007	–	–	–	–
2006	–	–	–	–
2005	6	#16,307	–	–
2004	–	–	–	–
2003	–	–	–	–
2002	11	#9,435	–	–
2001	–	–	–	–
2000	10	#9,830	–	–
1995	9	#9,507	–	–
1990	24	#4,226	–	–
1985	38	#2,594	–	–
1980	74	#1,581	–	–
1975	185	#769	–	–
1970	451	#464	–	–
1965	358	#502	–	–
1960	142	#873	–	–
1955	43	#1,573	–	–
1950	18	#2,428	–	–
1945	8	#3,659	–	–
1940	5	#4,974	–	–
1935	–	–	–	–
1930	–	–	–	–
1925	–	–	–	–
1920	–	–	–	–
1915	–	–	–	–
1910	–	–	–	–
1905	–	–	–	–
1900	–	–	–	–
1895	–	–	–	–
1890	–	–	–	–
1885	–	–	–	–
1880	–	–	–	–

Famous people named Tonja

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

1 Tonja Buford-Bailey American hurdler (born 1970) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Tonja?

The median living Tonja is about 56 years old. Half of all living Tonjas are between 52 and 60 years old.

How many people named Tonja are alive today?

An estimated 6,500 people named Tonja are alive in the United States, based on 6,994 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Tonja mean?

A female given name, variant of Tonya

How popular is the name Tonja in 2025?

Tonja 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 Tonja?

6,994 babies have been named Tonja in the United States since 1940, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Tonja most popular?

Tonja peaked in 1967, when 512 newborns received the name.

Is Tonja a boy or girl name?

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

Is the name Tonja rising or falling?

Tonja has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Tonja?

Well-known people named Tonja include Tonja Buford-Bailey (athlete).

Names like Tonja

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

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