The baby name Tennison is a Male name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈtɛnɪsən/ (TEN-ih-sən).
Tennison is English in Origin.
The baby name Tennison is a Male name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈtɛnɪsən/ (TEN-ih-sən).
Tennison is English in Origin.
Tennison is an English patronymic surname adopted as a given name. It derives from Tenney/Tenny, a medieval diminutive of Denis/Denys (from Greek Dionysios, “belonging to Dionysus”), so its literal sense is “son of Tenny,” i.e., descendant of Denis. The spelling Tennison sits alongside Tennyson and the older Tenison; related forms include Denison and Dennison, which reflect the same Denis root.
Recorded in England from the early modern period - compare Archbishop Thomas Tenison (1636–1715) - the name gained currency as a first name much later, in the 20th and 21st centuries, within the broader trend of transferring surnames to given names. Literary overtones via Alfred, Lord Tennyson further support its appeal, even with the orthographic shift. While chiefly masculine, Tennison functions as a modern unisex option. Variant spellings: Tennyson, Tenison; diminutives: Ten, Tenny; cognate: Dennis.
Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.
| Country | Gender | Year | Rank | Born | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MV | Boys | 0 | #79 | 1 | 3,375 |
| AE | 0 | #187 | 1 | 10,220 | |
| JM | Boys | 0 | #289 | 5 | 6,876 |
| PA | Boys | 0 | #505 | 1 | 9,305 |
| CR | Boys | 0 | #510 | 1 | 10,188 |
| BR | Boys | 0 | #785 | 1 | 12,213 |
| KW | Boys | 0 | #806 | 1 | 18,755 |
| United States | Boys | 2023 | #892 | 7 | 7,053 |
| OM | Boys | 0 | #918 | 1 | 17,948 |
| United States | Girls | 2016 | #932 | 7 | 9,437 |
| NG | Boys | 0 | #996 | 6 | 16,906 |
| IN | Boys | 0 | #1,038 | 2 | 16,750 |
| AE | Boys | 0 | #1,142 | 2 | 22,615 |
| MY | Boys | 0 | #1,182 | 1 | 25,439 |
| ZA | Boys | 0 | #1,272 | 1 | 25,619 |
Tennison is popular in 13 countries — most recent births per country:
Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!