Meaning & origin
A reliable meaning for Tela isn’t established in our sources yet. Rather than guess, we show what is recorded: how the name is used, how often, and the names it’s connected to.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1894. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Tela through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 700
- 7 boys · 693 girls
- Most popular year
- 1985
- 45 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for girls is 9 in 2018. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for girls was 45 in 1985. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 675 as a first name in 2020; 344 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Tela’s family of names
In English usage, Tela as a surname shares an earlier linguistic root with TESLA. In Greek usage, Tela as a surname is a transliteration of Τέλα.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: across languages.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
Similar names
If you love Tela, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Terra
“goddess of the earth; the land itself”
>99% girls
Tia
“an aunt” · “daughter born to royalty”
>99% girls
Talitha
“a maiden; young girl”
>99% girls
Taryn
“of the thunder” · “from the high, rocky hill”
7% boys · 93% girls
Tiara
“one who is crowned”
>99% girls
Tess
“a harvester”
>99% girls
Vanna
“golden-haired woman”
>99% girls
Krista
“follower of Christ”
>99% girls