Tenzin
Tenzin is a Tibetan given name, meaning "the holder of Buddha Dharma". Tenzin can alternatively be spelled as Tenzing and Stanzin as well. Stanzin is generally used by the Ladakhi people, since Ladakhi language retains many archaic forms that have been lost in other modern Tibetan languages.
- Tibetan
- Bhutanese
Meaning & Origin of Tenzin
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Tenzin is a Tibetan given name, meaning "the holder of Buddha Dharma". Tenzin can alternatively be spelled as Tenzing and Stanzin as well. Stanzin is generally used by the Ladakhi people, since Ladakhi language retains many archaic forms that have been lost in other modern Tibetan languages.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Tibetan
- Bhutanese
The Story of Tenzin
As a girl name
American parents first put Tenzin on the record books as a girl name in 1996, with 7 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2023, when 66 Tenzins were born — ranking #2,645 that year. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 40% of all recorded Tenzins. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #2,790 among girl names with 61 births, rising sharply (+17% over the past five years). In total, more than 1K Tenzins have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Tenzin as a boy name dates back to 1992, when 6 babies received it. 2014 was its biggest year on record, with 86 newborns named Tenzin — #1,750 in the national rankings. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 44% of all recorded Tenzins. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #2,402 among boy names with 59 births, gradually falling (-12%). In total, more than 2K Tenzins have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Tenzin
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Tenzin. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Tenzin
Phonetically similar names — useful when Tenzin is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Tenzin
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About the name Tenzin
Tenzin is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1992 and has accumulated 2K births in the dataset. Tenzin's peak popularity came in 2014 when it ranked #1,750. Use the chart and map above to compare Tenzin's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2014 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "T" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.