Tobenna
A Nigerian masculine name meaning "the Lord is here with us".
Name Census estimates that about 255 living Americans carry the first name Tobenna. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Tobenna today is around 12 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Tobenna births was 2023 (21 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Tobenna. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Tobenna with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
255
~ 1 in 1,344,135 Americans
Peak year
2023
21 babies that year
Average age
12
years old
2024 SSA rank
#7,668
Tracked since 1999
Census
Tobenna in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 207 people with the first name Tobenna, which placed it at #37,585 in the published first-name tables. This is a snapshot of people who already had the name at the time of the Census.
The SSA sections elsewhere on this page answer a different question: how often parents gave the name to babies over time. The "people living today" figure on this page is different again: it is a current estimate built from SSA birth records and age-based survival rates, so the two numbers are not expected to match exactly.
2020 Census rank
#37,585
National first-name rank
People counted
207
207 in the published race/origin table
Per 100,000
0.1
People with this name in 2020
Largest reported group
Black or African American
95.7% of people with this name
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Tobenna
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Tobenna is Black at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and Hispanic (1.4%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself.
The bar chart below shows how people with the first name Tobenna described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given name, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown so the breakdown is easy to read across every published category. Because the 2020 Census first-name file also includes raw headcounts for each group, Name Census can show those alongside the percentages in the legend and hover tooltip.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A first name does not determine a person's race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the name Tobenna at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American95.7% · 198
- Two or more races2.9% · 6
- Hispanic or Latino1.4% · 3
Popularity
Tobenna: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Tobenna from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 117 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Tobenna remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Tobenna by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Tobenna during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Tobennas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Tobenna
Tobenna is a name with its origins rooted in the Igbo culture of southeastern Nigeria. Derived from the Igbo words "Tobe" meaning "to pray" and "nna" meaning "father," the name reflects the traditional belief in the importance of paternal guidance and spiritual connection.
The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 16th century, during the height of the Nri Kingdom in present-day Anambra State, Nigeria. Ancient oral histories and genealogical records from this era mention individuals bearing the name Tobenna, suggesting its significance within the Igbo society at the time.
One notable historical figure with the name Tobenna was a renowned sculptor and woodcarver from the 17th century, whose intricate works adorned the royal palaces of the Nri Kingdom. His legacy has been preserved through the enduring artworks that have been passed down through generations.
In the 18th century, a prominent Igbo philosopher and religious leader named Tobenna Okafor gained recognition for his teachings on the interconnectedness of the physical and spiritual realms. His writings and speeches inspired many followers and contributed to the rich intellectual traditions of the Igbo people.
Moving into the 19th century, Tobenna Nwankwo emerged as a prominent figure in the struggle against British colonial rule in southeastern Nigeria. As a skilled orator and charismatic leader, he rallied communities to resist the encroachment of colonial powers and preserve Igbo cultural autonomy.
Another notable figure was Tobenna Okeke, a prolific writer and poet from the early 20th century, whose works explored themes of identity, tradition, and the complexities of navigating modernity while preserving cultural roots. His literary contributions have been celebrated for their eloquence and profound insights into the Igbo experience.
Throughout history, the name Tobenna has been borne by individuals who have made significant contributions to various fields, from the arts and philosophy to resistance movements and literary achievements. Its rich heritage and deep-rooted connection to the Igbo culture have ensured its enduring presence and significance.
People
Tobenna + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Tobenna as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with T
Other first names starting with T with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Tobenna: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Tobenna?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 255 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Tobenna going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,344,135 US residents.
Is Tobenna a common name?
We classify Tobenna as "Very Rare". It ranks above 77.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 257 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Tobenna most popular?
The single biggest year for Tobenna was 2023, when 21 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Tobenna is about 12 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
How common was Tobenna in the 2020 Census?
The published 2020 Census first-name tables recorded 207 people with the name Tobenna, or 0.07 per 100,000 residents. That placed it at #37,585 in the national Census ranking for first names.
Why is the Census count different from the living estimate?
Because they measure different things. The Census figure is a count of people who had the name Tobenna in 2020. The living estimate aims to answer a current question instead: how many people with the name are alive today, based on SSA birth records and age-based survival rates. Since one number is a 2020 snapshot and the other is a present-day estimate, they are not expected to be identical.
What does the Census say about the gender split for Tobenna?
In the 2020 Census sex table, Tobenna leans strongly male. 207 people counted with this name were male (97.2%), compared with 6 female bearers (2.8%). The Census view is a snapshot of people living with the name in 2020, while the SSA section above tracks births across time.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Tobenna?
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Tobenna is Black at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and Hispanic (1.4%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself. The percentages in the chart above come from self-reported race and Hispanic-origin responses in the 2020 Census.
Which group reports the name Tobenna most often in the Census?
Black is the largest reported group for people named Tobenna in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.7% (198 people in the published table).
Why can the Census sex total and race total differ slightly?
The Census Bureau published separate 2020 tables for sex and for race/Hispanic origin, and the released figures can differ slightly because of privacy protection in the public files. That is why this page treats the gender section and the race/origin section as two related snapshots instead of forcing them into one identical total.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only includes names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files have no Census demographic snapshot. When that happens, the SSA trend, gender history, and state sections still appear, but the 2020 Census demographic sections are omitted.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Tobenna in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Tobenna a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Tobenna in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Tobenna still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Tobenna in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Tobenna can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
How many Americans are named Tobenna?
Want to know how many Americans are named Tobenna? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.