Tunisia

A girl's name of African origin with 596 recorded U.S. births.

Girl's nameRare nameNot ranked recently

Meaning & Origin

A country in North Africa. Capital: Tunis.

Tunisia is a girl's baby name derived from the country name Tunisia, itself from the city of Tunis, which likely originates from the Berber root meaning 'to spend the night' or possibly from the Phoenician goddess Tanit. As a given name, it was used in African American communities as a way to connect to African and North African geography and heritage.

Tunisia as a personal name represents the tradition of using geographic names to express cultural pride and connection — a practice with deep roots in African American naming history, where Africa's places became part of American given names.

EtymologyShow more

Tunisia first shows up in U.S. Social Security records in 1943. Arriving in the 1940s, Tunisia appeared during a period when American naming was beginning to diversify beyond the traditional Anglo-Saxon and biblical pools.

Its African classification suggests a path from african linguistic traditions into American usage, though the specific route — whether through immigration, literature, or cultural exchange — would require deeper historical research.

At a Glance

596

Total births

Since 1943

1974

Peak

39 births

1943

First recorded

54 years of data

Compare Tunisia with another name

Popularity Over Time

Tunisia has 34+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1943.

First appeared: 1943Peak: 1974 (39 births)

Popularity by Decade

Decade-by-decade popularity data for Tunisia
Decade	Births	Avg Rank	Trend
1990s	80	#8689	▼
1980s	175	#4943	▼
1970s	275	#2995	▲
1960s	53	#4687	▲
1950s	5	#6937	▼
1940s	8	#3787	—

The Story of Tunisia

A Gen X name

Peaking in 1974, Tunisia is a Gen X staple. Girls named Tunisia are most likely born between 1964 and 1984.

How rare is Tunisia?

With 596 total births on record, Tunisia remains a rare and distinctive pick.

The journey through the decades

First appeared in the records in 1943, gained momentum through the mid-century, peaked in the 1970s with 275 births that decade, and has gracefully settled into a quieter chapter.

Tunisia by the numbers

Would fill 12 school buses
Meeting one Tunisia per day would take 1.6 years

Year-by-Year Data

View complete yearly data(34 years, 1943–1996)

Year-by-year popularity data for the name Tunisia
Year	Births	Rank	Change
1996	7	#11736	+1 (16.7%)
1995	6	#13303	-4 (-40.0%)
1994	10	#8758	0
1993	10	#8693	-3 (-23.1%)
1992	13	#7047	-2 (-13.3%)
1991	15	#6236	-4 (-21.1%)
1990	19	#5051	+4 (26.7%)
1989	15	#5825	-1 (-6.3%)
1988	16	#5306	+6 (60.0%)
1987	10	#7324	-1 (-9.1%)
1986	11	#6582	-3 (-21.4%)
1985	14	#5332	-3 (-17.6%)
1984	17	#4475	-11 (-39.3%)
1983	28	#3062	+6 (27.3%)
1982	22	#3770	-1 (-4.3%)
1981	23	#3617	+4 (21.1%)
1980	19	#4139	0
1979	19	#4044	-8 (-29.6%)
1978	27	#3006	-1 (-3.6%)
1977	28	#2905	-1 (-3.4%)

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Tunisia a boy's or girl's name?

Tunisia is primarily a girl's name.

When was Tunisia most popular?

Tunisia reached its peak popularity in 1974 with 39 births that year. It is not currently in the top rankings.

How popular is the name Tunisia?

Tunisia is not currently in the top rankings but has been given to 596 babies in the U.S. since 1943. Its peak was in 1974.

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Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1943–1996