Fun Facts About the Name Teller
- 290 babies named Teller: U.S. records list 290 babies given the name Teller from 1880 through 2025. Even 20 girls received the name Teller - about 1 girl for every 14 boys.
What Does the Name Teller Mean?
Teller is an English occupational surname meaning "one who counts or tells," from Middle English tellen "to count, tell," which comes from Old English tellan. In medieval England a teller was a person who counted money or kept accounts, so the surname is equivalent to a counter or accountant. The German surname Teller is a separate origin: it comes from Middle High German teller "plate, platter," a word borrowed from Old French tailloir, a cutting board or plate. It is usually explained as an occupational name for a maker or seller of plates, though a nickname origin is also possible. Ashkenazic Jewish families also use Teller as a surname, generally from the German word. As a given name, Teller is a transferred use of the surname rather than a traditional personal name.
Teller Name History & Origins
English surnames became hereditary in the later Middle Ages, and occupational terms like Teller were among the common sources. The English name is found in medieval records in forms such as le Tellere, where the French definite article le was used with an English occupational word. A teller could count money for a noble household, a merchant, or a tax authority. The German surname developed separately from the word for a plate; in German-speaking lands, a Teller might be a plate maker, a seller of plates, or a person nicknamed for a plate. Jewish families in German-speaking lands also used Teller as a surname, generally taken from the German word. In Hungary, the surname Teller is also of German origin. The given name Teller comes from the surname rather than from a separate personal-name tradition.
How Popular is the Name Teller?
Teller has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2025. Its best rank was #2,106 in 2025.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #13,067 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2024 | #13,296 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2023 | #14,995 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,106 | 70 | 0.0041% |
| 2024 | #3,504 | 33 | 0.0019% |
| 2023 | #3,280 | 37 | 0.0022% |
| 2022 | #5,188 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2021 | #7,046 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2020 | #5,669 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2019 | #8,802 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2018 | #5,085 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2017 | #6,623 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2016 | #6,680 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2015 | #5,485 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2014 | #7,004 | 12 | 0.0006% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Teller Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You like to control everyone within your influence, to shape things to your own liking. If positive, you develop high spirituality, as you have a God's protection. You are sensitive, affectionate, imaginative and cooperative, spiritually aware and prone to self-sacrifice. You can keep secrets and are a good diplomat. You may have healing and psychic powers. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
You desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Teller's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Teller's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.