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Home › Baby Names Directory › Tennyson

Tennyson

♂ Boy

Pronounced TEN-ih-sən /ˈtɛn.ɪ.sən/High

Meaning: Patronymic 'son of Dennis' (Dionysius lines) — Alfred, Lord Tennyson's poetic estateMedium

In 30 seconds: To strive, to seek, to name: Tennyson — 'son of Dennis' — wears the laureate's laurels outright. Charge of the Light Brigade included.
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Origin HighEnglish, Greek
MeaningPatronymic 'son of Dennis' (Dionysius lines) — Alfred, Lord Tennyson's poetic estate
U.S. rank (2024)#3872 ↗ Rising
2024 U.S. births29 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2014
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,165

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201419132024

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Tennyson is a patronymic — 'son of Dennis', Dionysius-line — immortalized by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. Literary-surname naming claims it.

It registers thinly in records. Rare, Dennis-son at the root, and laureled.

Did you know? Tennyson served as Poet Laureate 42 years — 'tis better to have loved and lost' is his; babies inherit the entire anthology.
Overall data confidence 82%
Surname references — Tennyson — patronymic etymology

Variations

TennesonTennison

Nicknames

TenSonny

Famous Bearers

  • ★Alfred Tennyson (1809–1892)
    British Poet Laureate (surname bearer).

If you like Tennyson…

Emerson— a fellow writer-surname pick
Auden— the modern poet-name cousin
Byron— the Romantic predecessor
Madison— a fellow English choice
Robinson— shares the -on ending

Explore names like Tennyson

By themeenglishsurname-nameliterary

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Tennyson mean?

Tennyson is a patronymic, 'son of Dennis' — famous via the Poet Laureate.

How do you pronounce Tennyson?

It's said TEN-ih-sən /ˈtɛn.ɪ.sən/ — three syllables, stress on the first.

Is Tennyson a boy or girl name?

Tennyson is used for both sexes; this page covers its use as a boy's name.

How popular is Tennyson?

Tennyson is a rare name in the U.S.

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