NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Tanis

A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "immortal".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2003. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Tanis is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Tanis popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2003 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3467, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 5 births.

This profile covers 18 England and Wales registrations across 5 recorded years from 1996 to 2003. 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 60% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 18 living people in the UK are called Tanis. 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 2004 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Tanis ranked #3467 for boys in England and Wales in 2003, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 1996, when 5 boys were registered as Tanis.
  • About 18 living people in the UK are estimated to have Tanis as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#3467

2003

Births in 2003

3

Latest year

Peak year

1996

5 births

Estimated living

18

2026

Meaning

What does Tanis mean?

The name Tanis has its origins in ancient Egypt, dating back to the second millennium BC. It is derived from the ancient Egyptian city of Djanet, known as Tanis to the Greeks. This city was located in the Nile Delta region and served as the capital of ancient Egypt during parts of the 21st and 22nd dynasties.

Tanis was an important religious and political center in ancient Egypt. It was home to the famous Tanis Stone, a carved granite slab that contains a decree from the reign of Pharaoh Ptolemy V, providing valuable insights into the history and culture of that era.

The name Tanis appeared in various ancient Egyptian texts and inscriptions, often referring to the city itself or individuals associated with it. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Papyrus Wilbour, a collection of ancient Egyptian texts from the 21st dynasty, circa 1069-945 BC.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals named Tanis. One of the most famous was Tanis, the daughter of the Egyptian pharaoh Osorkon II, who ruled during the 22nd dynasty around 850 BC. She was a powerful figure in her own right and played a significant role in the political and religious affairs of her time.

Another historical figure with the name Tanis was a Roman philosopher and writer who lived in the 2nd century AD. Known as Tanis the Platonic, he was a prominent figure in the Platonic philosophical tradition and authored several works that are now lost.

In the Middle Ages, Tanis was the name of a 12th-century bishop of Avranches in Normandy, France. He was a prominent figure in the Catholic Church and played a role in the political and religious affairs of his time.

During the Renaissance period, Tanis was the name of an Italian painter and architect from the 16th century. He was known for his contributions to the art and architecture of the Italian Renaissance and was associated with the Mannerist style.

In more recent times, Tanis was the name of a French-Canadian explorer and fur trader who lived in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He was known for his travels and explorations in the Canadian Northwest and his interactions with various Native American tribes.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Tanis over time

The chart below shows babies named Tanis registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2003. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Tanis, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2003, compared with 5 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Tanis
01345199619992003

Decades

Tanis by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Tanis 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
2000s #3301 6 2
1990s #2433 12 3

Related

Names similar to Tanis

FAQ

Tanis: questions and answers

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

In 2003, Tanis was ranked #3467 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Tanis most popular?

The peak year on record was 1996, with 5 babies registered as Tanis in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Tanis?

A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "immortal".

How many people are called Tanis in the UK?

A total of 18 babies have been registered as Tanis across the 5 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.