NameCensus.

UK name, mostly girls

Tana

A feminine Sanskrit name meaning "young girl" or "small".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2017. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Also recorded as a boys' name in the UK, with 12 boys.

Tana is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Tana popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2017 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4763, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2008, with 7 births.

This profile covers 30 England and Wales registrations across 7 recorded years from 2001 to 2017. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 57% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 30 living people in the UK are called Tana. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2018 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Tana ranked #4763 for girls in England and Wales in 2017, with 4 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2008, when 7 girls were registered as Tana.
  • Tana is also recorded for boys, but the girls side is the larger UK variant in these records.
  • About 30 living people in the UK are estimated to have Tana as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
  • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 71.4% of Tana registrations are for girls.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4763

2017

Births in 2017

4

Latest year

Peak year

2008

7 births

Estimated living

30

2026

Gender

Boy and girl registrations for Tana

In England and Wales birth records, Tana has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 28.6% of registrations are for boys and 71.4% are for girls.

These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.

29% boys
71% girls
Boys12 (28.6%)Girls30 (71.4%)

Tana registered for boys

  • Ranked #4,432 in 2008
  • 3 boys registered in 2008
  • Peak: 2005 (5 births)

Tana registered for girls

  • Ranked #4,763 in 2017
  • 4 girls registered in 2017
  • Peak: 2008 (7 births)

Meaning

What does Tana mean?

The name Tana has its origins in various cultures and languages around the world. It is believed to have originated from the Sanskrit word "tana," which means "body" or "self." This ancient Indian language is the root of many modern Indo-Aryan languages spoken in South Asia.

In Hawaiian culture, the name Tana is derived from the word "tana," which means "to spread out" or "to unfold." It is often associated with concepts of growth, expansion, and exploration. This name has been used in Hawaiian tradition for centuries.

The name Tana has also been found in ancient Egyptian records, where it was used as a shortened form of the name "Tanakhten," which means "the living one." This name appeared in hieroglyphic inscriptions and was associated with the concept of eternal life in Egyptian mythology.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tana dates back to the 5th century BC, when a Greek philosopher named Tana of Gortyn lived on the island of Crete. He was known for his contributions to the field of ethics and his teachings on the nature of virtue.

In the 12th century, Tana Tomichi was a renowned Japanese samurai warrior who fought during the Genpei War, a conflict between the Minamoto and Taira clans. He was known for his bravery and loyalty, and his name has been immortalized in Japanese history.

During the Renaissance period, Tana Grillo was an Italian painter and architect from Genoa, who lived between 1568 and 1638. Her artistic works, including frescoes and architectural designs, can still be found in various churches and buildings in Italy.

In the 19th century, Tana Umaga was a prominent Māori chief and leader from New Zealand. He played a significant role in the negotiation of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, which established the British sovereignty over the islands while preserving Māori land rights and chieftainship.

Another notable figure with the name Tana was Tana Mongeau, a French explorer and adventurer who lived from 1892 to 1972. She was one of the first women to traverse the Sahara Desert and documented her experiences in her book, "Across the Sahara on Foot."

While the name Tana has been used across different cultures and time periods, its meanings often revolve around concepts of life, growth, and exploration, reflecting the diverse origins and interpretations of this name throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Tana over time

The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Tana in England and Wales, from 2001 to 2017. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Tana, the clearest high point is 2008. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2017, compared with 7 at the peak.

Babies born per year

BoysGirls
035810200120092017

Decades

Tana by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Tana was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2010s #4853 12 3
2000s #3761 18 4

Related

Names similar to Tana

FAQ

Tana: questions and answers

How popular is the name Tana in the UK right now?

In 2017, Tana was ranked #4763 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.

When was Tana most popular?

The peak year on record was 2008, with 7 babies registered as Tana in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Tana?

A feminine Sanskrit name meaning "young girl" or "small".

How many people are called Tana in the UK?

A total of 30 babies have been registered as Tana across the 7 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.