Tonja
A female given name, variant of Tonya
Every Tonja since 1940 — 6,994 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Tonja
Tonja is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1940, 6,994 American babies have been named Tonja. Its peak came in 1967, when 512 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Tonja stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Tonja year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — | — | — |
| 2015 | — | — | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — | — | — |
| 2009 | — | — | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — | — | — |
| 2007 | — | — | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — | — | — |
| 2005 | 6 | #16,307 | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — | — | — |
| 2002 | 11 | #9,435 | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — | — | — |
| 2000 | 10 | #9,830 | — | — |
| 1995 | 9 | #9,507 | — | — |
| 1990 | 24 | #4,226 | — | — |
| 1985 | 38 | #2,594 | — | — |
| 1980 | 74 | #1,581 | — | — |
| 1975 | 185 | #769 | — | — |
| 1970 | 451 | #464 | — | — |
| 1965 | 358 | #502 | — | — |
| 1960 | 142 | #873 | — | — |
| 1955 | 43 | #1,573 | — | — |
| 1950 | 18 | #2,428 | — | — |
| 1945 | 8 | #3,659 | — | — |
| 1940 | 5 | #4,974 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Tonja
- Tonja Buford-Bailey Athlete · b. 1970
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Tonja mean?
A female given name, variant of Tonya
How popular is the name Tonja in 2025?
Tonja did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Tonja?
6,994 babies have been named Tonja in the United States since 1940, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Tonja most popular?
Tonja peaked in 1967, when 512 newborns received the name.
Is Tonja a boy or girl name?
Tonja is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Tonja rising or falling?
Tonja has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Tonja?
Well-known people named Tonja include Tonja Buford-Bailey (athlete).