Tonya
Phonetic rendering of Russian То́ня (Tónja), an informal pet form of Антони́на (Antonína, “Antonina”).
Every Tonya since 1923 — 120,856 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Tonya
Tonya is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #9,412 in 2025 with 11 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1923, 120,856 American babies have been named Tonya. Its peak came in 1972, when 7,273 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1970s.
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 Tonya stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Tonya 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 | 11 | #9,412 | — | — |
| 2024 | 18 | #6,620 | — | — |
| 2023 | 8 | #12,098 | — | — |
| 2022 | 14 | #7,998 | — | — |
| 2021 | 20 | #6,154 | — | — |
| 2020 | 16 | #7,196 | — | — |
| 2019 | 12 | #9,070 | — | — |
| 2018 | 23 | #5,603 | — | — |
| 2017 | 23 | #5,650 | — | — |
| 2016 | 18 | #6,884 | — | — |
| 2015 | 29 | #4,845 | — | — |
| 2014 | 25 | #5,442 | — | — |
| 2013 | 26 | #5,306 | — | — |
| 2012 | 34 | #4,378 | — | — |
| 2011 | 40 | #3,834 | — | — |
| 2010 | 49 | #3,357 | — | — |
| 2009 | 44 | #3,672 | — | — |
| 2008 | 58 | #3,014 | — | — |
| 2007 | 55 | #3,163 | — | — |
| 2006 | 45 | #3,560 | — | — |
| 2005 | 77 | #2,341 | — | — |
| 2004 | 67 | #2,525 | — | — |
| 2003 | 100 | #1,857 | — | — |
| 2002 | 88 | #2,003 | — | — |
| 2001 | 103 | #1,747 | — | — |
| 2000 | 138 | #1,362 | — | — |
| 1995 | 273 | #749 | — | — |
| 1990 | 725 | #365 | — | — |
| 1985 | 1,642 | #172 | 6 | #6,467 |
| 1980 | 3,080 | #97 | 6 | #6,180 |
| 1975 | 5,896 | #45 | 30 | #1,699 |
| 1970 | 7,140 | #49 | 30 | #1,579 |
| 1965 | 2,968 | #129 | 14 | #2,262 |
| 1960 | 1,327 | #242 | — | — |
| 1955 | 402 | #449 | — | — |
| 1950 | 153 | #697 | — | — |
| 1945 | 101 | #748 | — | — |
| 1940 | 35 | #1,268 | — | — |
| 1935 | 10 | #2,908 | — | — |
| 1930 | 5 | #5,190 | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Tonya
- Tonya Harding Skater · b. 1970
- Tonya Verbeek Wrestler · b. 1977
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Tonya mean?
Phonetic rendering of Russian То́ня (Tónja), an informal pet form of Антони́на (Antonína, “Antonina”).
How popular is the name Tonya in 2025?
Tonya ranked #9,412 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 11 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Tonya?
120,856 babies have been named Tonya in the United States since 1923, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Tonya most popular?
Tonya peaked in 1972, when 7,273 newborns received the name.
Is Tonya a boy or girl name?
Tonya is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Tonya rising or falling?
Tonya is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Tonya?
Well-known people named Tonya include Tonya Harding (skater), Tonya Verbeek (wrestler).