UK girl's name
Tanesha
An African-American name of uncertain meaning, potentially derived from a West African language.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2010. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Tanesha is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Tanesha popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2010 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4012, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1997, with 15 births.
This profile covers 119 England and Wales registrations across 15 recorded years from 1996 to 2010. 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 33% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 118 living people in the UK are called Tanesha. 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 2011 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Tanesha ranked #4012 for girls in England and Wales in 2010, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1997, when 15 girls were registered as Tanesha.
- • About 118 living people in the UK are estimated to have Tanesha as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4012
2010
Births in 2010
5
Latest year
Peak year
1997
15 births
Estimated living
118
2026
Meaning
What does Tanesha mean?
The name Tanesha is a modern American name that emerged in the late 20th century. It is believed to be a blend of the names Tanisha and Keisha, both of which are popular African American names. The name does not have a direct linguistic origin or root, but rather was created as a new name in the United States.
While the exact origins of the name Tanesha are unclear, it is thought to have been influenced by the growing popularity of unique and creative names within the African American community during the 1970s and 1980s. This period saw a rise in the use of non-traditional names, often combining elements from various cultures or creating entirely new names.
One of the earliest known individuals with the name Tanesha was Tanesha Shemwell, a track and field athlete from the United States who competed in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Shemwell was born in 1975, making her one of the first generations to receive this name.
Another notable Tanesha was Tanesha Awasthi, an Indian-American author and journalist born in 1982. Awasthi gained recognition for her novel "Girl Maskless," which explored themes of identity and cultural heritage.
In the world of entertainment, Tanesha Ross is an American actress and model who has appeared in various television shows and films since the early 2000s. Ross was born in 1980 and has been active in the industry for over two decades.
Tanesha Sutton is an American businesswoman and entrepreneur who founded the skincare company Tanesha Sutton Beauty in 2010. Sutton's brand focuses on natural and organic products, reflecting her passion for wellness and self-care.
Tanesha Peeples is a former professional basketball player from the United States. She played in the WNBA for several years, representing teams like the Detroit Shock and the Houston Comets during her career in the early 2000s.
While the name Tanesha does not have a long historical lineage, it has gained recognition and popularity in recent decades, particularly within the African American community. Its unique blend of sounds and influences reflects the cultural diversity and creativity that has shaped modern American naming traditions.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Tanesha over time
The chart below shows babies named Tanesha registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2010. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Tanesha, the clearest high point is 1997. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2010, compared with 15 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Tanesha by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Tanesha 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 | #4012 | 5 | 1 |
| 2000s | #2752 | 74 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1842 | 40 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Tanesha
- Tia 15,569
- Thea 12,888
- Tilly 11,524
- Taylor 7,401
- Tegan 6,583
- Tabitha 6,462
- Talia 5,198
- Tara 5,114
- Tiffany 4,653
- Tallulah 4,442
- Tiana 3,570
- Tamara 3,405
FAQ
Tanesha: questions and answers
How popular is the name Tanesha in the UK right now?
In 2010, Tanesha was ranked #4012 for girls in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Tanesha most popular?
The peak year on record was 1997, with 15 babies registered as Tanesha in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Tanesha?
An African-American name of uncertain meaning, potentially derived from a West African language.
How many people are called Tanesha in the UK?
A total of 119 babies have been registered as Tanesha across the 15 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.