Tawny
- Gender
- Girl
- Say it
- TAW-nee
- Origin
- English
Tawny is a girls' name of English origin, meaning “golden-brown; tan”. Too few babies were given it in the latest year to rank.
What does Tawny mean?
English: English colour word, from Anglo-Norman
“golden-brown; tan”
From Anglo-Norman tauné, 'tanned', the colour of tanned leather.
Is Tawny a girl's or a boy's name?
Tawny is a girls' name.
How popular is Tawny in the UK?
No girls in the UK were given it in 2025, or too few to be listed. Its busiest year was 2007, with 6 girls.
Half of all the girls named Tawny in the UK since 1996 were born between 2000 and 2018. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier girls aren't counted.
Tawny in the UK, year by year
| Year | Girls | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 4 | #4,915 |
| 2022 | 0 | – |
| 2021 | 4 | #4,864 |
| 2020 | 2 | #7,238 |
| 2019 | 0 | – |
| 2018 | 4 | #4,914 |
| 2017 | 0 | – |
| 2016 | 0 | – |
| 2015 | 4 | #4,951 |
| 2014 | 3 | #5,920 |
| 2013 | 0 | – |
| 2012 | 0 | – |
| 2011 | 3 | #6,007 |
| 2010 | 0 | – |
| 2009 | 1 | #7,377 |
| 2008 | 0 | – |
| 2007 | 6 | #3,396 |
| 2006 | 4 | #4,357 |
| 2005 | 0 | – |
| 2004 | 4 | #3,916 |
| 2003 | 0 | – |
| 2002 | 0 | – |
| 2001 | 0 | – |
| 2000 | 4 | #3,399 |
| 1999 | 3 | #4,041 |
| 1998 | 0 | – |
| 1997 | 5 | #2,896 |
| 1996 | 3 | #3,935 |
How popular is Tawny in the US?
No girls in the US were given it in 2025, or too few to be listed. Its busiest year was 1989, with 217 girls. It first appears in the records in 1947.
Half of all the girls named Tawny in the US since 1880 were born between 1977 and 1991, the years shaded on the chart below.
Tawny in the US, year by year
| Year | Girls | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 5 | #15,288 |
| 2023 | 6 | #13,456 |
| 2022 | 0 | – |
| 2021 | 5 | #15,246 |
| 2020 | 0 | – |
| 2019 | 0 | – |
| 2018 | 6 | #13,788 |
| 2017 | 0 | – |
| 2016 | 10 | #10,109 |
| 2015 | 0 | – |
| 2014 | 10 | #10,124 |
| 2013 | 5 | #16,542 |
| 2012 | 7 | #13,477 |
| 2011 | 13 | #8,610 |
| 2010 | 13 | #8,697 |
| 2009 | 11 | #9,971 |
| 2008 | 17 | #7,404 |
| 2007 | 25 | #5,523 |
| 2006 | 21 | #6,123 |
| 2005 | 37 | #3,872 |
| 2004 | 20 | #5,965 |
| 2003 | 38 | #3,651 |
| 2002 | 27 | #4,494 |
| 2001 | 30 | #4,103 |
| 2000 | 30 | #4,074 |
| 1999 | 60 | #2,421 |
| 1998 | 57 | #2,426 |
| 1997 | 48 | #2,619 |
| 1996 | 71 | #1,978 |
| 1995 | 85 | #1,711 |
| 1994 | 113 | #1,413 |
| 1993 | 145 | #1,192 |
| 1992 | 142 | #1,223 |
| 1991 | 151 | #1,157 |
| 1990 | 180 | #1,006 |
| 1989 | 217 | #856 |
| 1988 | 186 | #916 |
| 1987 | 152 | #1,016 |
| 1986 | 139 | #1,080 |
| 1985 | 141 | #1,051 |
| 1984 | 151 | #957 |
| 1983 | 146 | #993 |
| 1982 | 164 | #919 |
| 1981 | 127 | #1,093 |
| 1980 | 119 | #1,141 |
| 1979 | 116 | #1,144 |
| 1978 | 89 | #1,341 |
| 1977 | 64 | #1,637 |
| 1976 | 66 | #1,535 |
| 1975 | 40 | #2,136 |
| 1974 | 22 | #3,110 |
| 1973 | 31 | #2,405 |
| 1972 | 43 | #1,920 |
| 1971 | 43 | #1,966 |
| 1970 | 61 | #1,570 |
| 1969 | 50 | #1,711 |
| 1968 | 39 | #1,909 |
| 1967 | 43 | #1,751 |
| 1966 | 48 | #1,621 |
| 1965 | 47 | #1,635 |
| 1964 | 41 | #1,835 |
| 1963 | 55 | #1,508 |
| 1962 | 76 | #1,266 |
| 1961 | 68 | #1,353 |
| 1960 | 44 | #1,694 |
| 1959 | 20 | #2,595 |
| 1958 | 28 | #2,116 |
| 1957 | 29 | #2,027 |
| 1956 | 23 | #2,320 |
| 1955 | 23 | #2,279 |
| 1954 | 13 | #3,156 |
| 1953 | 14 | #2,920 |
| 1952 | 12 | #3,200 |
| 1951 | 8 | #4,010 |
| 1950 | 15 | #2,651 |
| 1949 | 8 | #3,891 |
| 1948 | 10 | #3,349 |
| 1947 | 9 | #3,704 |
Names like Tawny
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
Holly, Molly, Amber, Robyn, Erin, Darcie, Tiggy, Melody, Amy, Tiffany, Summer, Ivy
Names related to Tawny
More English names
Lily, Evelyn, Hudson, Harper, Grace, Violet, Willow, Daisy, Poppy, Riley, Oakley, Mason, Cooper, Ruby, Hallie, Hazel
Sources
Figures from Baby names in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics), Babies' first names (National Records of Scotland), Baby names (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency) and Popular Baby Names (US Social Security Administration). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.
To cite this page: Nameling, “Tawny: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/tawny, updated 20 October 2026.