Meaning & origin
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1992. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Tenzin through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 2,906
- 1,653 boys · 1,253 girls
- Most popular year
- 2014
- 141 babies
- 2025
- 99
- #2,254 for boys · #4,061 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −12%
- Easing
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 57% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 63 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 2,254 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 19.8% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 36 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, New York had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (29). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 5,399 as a first name in 2020; 308 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.
Tenzin’s family of names
In English usage, Tenzin has a related form in TENZING. In English usage, Tenzin has a related form in STANZIN. In English usage, Tenzin has a conventional equivalent in the Tibetan form བསྟན་འཛིན.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Tenzin
- 14th Dalai Lama14th Dalai Lama, the spiritual and temporal leader of Tibetansborn 1935
- Tenzin PalmoTibetan Buddhist nunborn 1943
- Tenzin Delek RinpocheTibetan Lama1950–2015
- Tenzing Namgyalchogyal (monarch) of Sikkim1769–1793
- Gyalsey Tenzin RabgyeBhutnaese king (1638-1696)
- Tenzin TsundueTibetan activistborn 1975
- Dayan KhanMongolian Khan of Qoshot Khanat and Ruler of Tibet1700–1668
- Ngari RinpocheTibetan tulku, younger brother of the 14th Dalai Lama (1946–2026)
- Tenzin Dalai KhanMongol Qoshot Khan, and king of Tibet1700–1800
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Tenzin, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Prestyn
“from the priest's town”
61% boys · 39% girls
Crimson
“as rich and deep as the color”
40% boys · 60% girls
Sevyn
“the seventh-born child” · “refers to the number; the seventh-born child”
37% boys · 63% girls
Aiman
45% boys · 55% girls
Rayen
35% boys · 65% girls
Amaree
“having great strength; a builder” · “one who will be forever beautiful”
52% boys · 48% girls
Reign
Reign is a masculine given name.
33% boys · 67% girls
Rumi
40% boys · 60% girls