The uncommon name Tinashe first popped up in the U.S. baby name data in 2008:
- 2010: unlisted
- 2009: 5 baby boys named Tinashe
- 2008: 5 baby girls named Tinashe [debut]
- 2007: unlisted
- 2006: unlisted
Why?
Likely because of actress and singer Tinashe (pronounced tee-NAH-shay) Kachingwe — often referred to simply as Tinashe — who was born in Kentucky in 1993.
As a child and teen, Tinashe appeared in several movies and TV shows. She was also part of a girl group called The Stunners.
But I think the debut of her name was triggered specifically by her recurring role on the sitcom Two and a Half Men (2003-2015), which was the most-watched comedy in the U.S. for six years straight. During that time, Tinashe guest-starred on three episodes — one in 2008, and two more in 2009 — as the character Celeste, a love interest of the show’s “half man,” Jake Harper.
The name’s reappearance in the data in the mid-2010s corresponds to Tinashe’s later success as a solo artist. Her song “2 On” [vid] was released in early 2014 and reached #24 on Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart that August.
Tinashe Kachingwe is of Shona descent (via her father), and her unisex first name means “we are with God” in the Shona language.
What are your thoughts on the name Tinashe?
Sources:
- Tinashe – Wikipedia
- Boren, Zachary Davies. “Two and Half Men series finale: A look back at the biggest sitcom of the 21st century.” Independent 20 Feb. 2015.
- Tinashe – Billboard
- Tinashe – Behind the Name
- SSA
Image: Screenshot of Tinashe on Two and a Half Men
