Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1984

Tu

Gender Unisex · 27% girls Rank 2025 Below top lists
Rank 2025
–
among boys
Babies in 2025
<5
named Tu
How common
–
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1984
32 babies
All-time total
427
#10,339 all-time among boys
First recorded
1978
in Social Security records

Tu popularity over time

427 babies have been named Tu since 1978, 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
00.010.010.0218801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
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 8 17 25 3 – #4,053
1980s 59 166 225 23 +800% #2,329
1990s 37 91 128 13 -43% #3,453
2000s 5 33 38 4 -70% #10,459
2010s 5 6 11 1 -71% #12,168
2020s (to 2025) – – – – – –

The story of Tu

Tu 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 1978, 427 American babies have been named Tu, about 73% boys and 27% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1984, when 32 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1980s.

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

How old are people named Tu?

The median living Tu is about 37 years old; half are between 32 and 41. An estimated 400 people named Tu are alive in the United States today.

median 37 020406080100

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

Tu 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 5 #17,945 – –
2017 – – – –
2016 – – – –
2015 – – – –
2014 – – – –
2013 – – – –
2012 – – – –
2011 – – 6 #12,168
2010 – – – –
2009 – – – –
2008 – – – –
2007 – – – –
2006 5 #19,877 – –
2005 – – 5 #13,222
2004 – – 6 #11,250
2003 – – 5 #12,641
2002 – – 6 #10,580
2001 – – 6 #10,459
2000 – – 5 #12,024
1995 – – 5 #10,237
1990 13 #6,849 10 #5,349
1985 7 #9,260 18 #2,819
1980 – – 14 #3,243
1975 – – – –
1970 – – – –
1965 – – – –
1960 – – – –
1955 – – – –
1950 – – – –
1945 – – – –
1940 – – – –
1935 – – – –
1930 – – – –
1925 – – – –
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Tu

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

  1. 1 Tu Youyou Tu Youyou Chinese pharmaceutical chemist (born 1930) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Tu?

The median living Tu is about 37 years old. Half of all living Tus are between 32 and 41 years old.

How many people named Tu are alive today?

An estimated 400 people named Tu are alive in the United States, based on 427 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Tu in 2025?

Tu 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 Tu?

427 babies have been named Tu in the United States since 1978, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Tu most popular?

Tu peaked in 1984, when 32 newborns received the name.

Is Tu a boy or girl name?

Tu is used for both: about 27% of babies named Tu have been girls and 73% boys.

Is the name Tu rising or falling?

Tu has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Tu?

Well-known people named Tu include Tu Youyou (chemist).

Names like Tu

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

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