An uncommon Czech pick — distinctive and rare.
A surname from Serbo-Croatian. Inventor and physicist Nikola Tesla (1856–1943).
Tesla is a girl's and boy's baby name of Slavic origin, a surname meaning 'one who works with an adze' (a carpentry tool). The name gained modern popularity as a given name through association with Nikola Tesla (1856–1943), the visionary inventor whose legacy in electrical engineering has made the name synonymous with brilliance and innovation.
Tesla has 38+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1985.
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 111 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 1,117 | ▲ |
| 2000s | 357 | ▼ |
| 1990s | 943 | ▲ |
| 1980s | 60 | — |
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 13 | #8438 |
| 2022 | 19 | #6439 |
| 2021 | 29 | #4707 |
| 2020 | 50 | #3175 |
| 2019 | 74 | #2426 |
| 2018 | 104 | #1924 |
| 2017 | 134 | #1624 |
| 2016 | 161 | #1438 |
| 2015 | 167 | #1403 |
| 2014 | 113 | #1817 |
| 2013 | 135 | #1596 |
| 2012 | 100 | #1971 |
| 2011 | 70 | #2586 |
| 2010 | 59 | #2936 |
| 2009 | 61 | #2888 |
| 2008 | 39 | #4080 |
| 2007 | 33 | #4558 |
| 2006 | 32 | #4563 |
| 2005 | 28 | #4818 |
| 2004 | 34 | #4162 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
While overwhelmingly a girl's name, Tesla has also been given to 98 boys in the U.S. since 2009.
Last updated May 2026 · Data: U.S. Social Security Administration (1985–2023) · Methodology