Tam
Tam is a short form of Thomas in Scots, a nickname and a surname. It may refer to:
Meaning & Origin of Tam
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Tam is a short form of Thomas in Scots, a nickname and a surname. It may refer to:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Tam
As a girl name
Tam first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1944, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1959, when 37 Tams were born — ranking #1,820 that year. As of 2026, Tam ranks #10,293 for girls with 9 births, with steady use. In total, more than 897 Tams have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1940s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Tam first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1924, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1982, when 48 Tams were born — ranking #1,362 that year. As of 2026, Tam ranks #10,889 for boys with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 984 Tams have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Tam
Phonetically similar names — useful when Tam is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Tam
What does the name Tam mean?
How popular is Tam in 2026?
When was Tam most popular?
In which U.S. states is Tam most popular?
Is Tam a unisex name?
What names go well with Tam?
About the name Tam
Tam is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1924 and has accumulated 984 births in the dataset. Tam's peak popularity came in 1982 when it ranked #1,362. Use the chart and map above to compare Tam's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1982 →
- Names of the 1980s →
- Names starting with "T" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.