Holding steady.
Popularity of Tennie since 1880
Babies named Tennie per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1918, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Tennie's real moment was 1884.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 307 |
| 1890s | 383 |
| 1900s | 374 |
| 1910s | 506 |
| 1920s | 464 |
| 1930s | 257 |
| 1940s | 175 |
| 1950s | 127 |
| 1960s | 104 |
| 1970s | 48 |
| 1980s | 32 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Tennie is a 19th-century diminutive that saw its peak usage in 1884, the year it reached its highest rank. It was first recorded in 1880, at the very beginning of official U.S. Social Security data. While its trajectory has been stable since then, the name has not seen a revival and remains very uncommon today. Its popularity was concentrated in the 1880s, reflecting the fashion for short, affectionate forms like Hattie, Lula, and Nellie. Though its exact meaning is uncertain, Tennie fits the pattern of informal names that fell out of use as tastes shifted toward more formal or biblical choices in the early 20th century.
Tennie is a diminutive or pet form that likely arose in 19th-century America. It may derive from the surname Tennyson or be a variant of Tena, itself a short form of Christina or Latina. The name was most popular in the 1880s, used primarily as a feminine given name.
Nicknames & variants
Sibling names for Tennie
Names that share Tennie's style, for a brother or sister.
