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Tamara (name)

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Tamara
Pronunciation/təˈmɑːrə, təˈmɛərə, ˈtæmərə/[1]
GenderFeminine
Origin
Word/nameArabic, Hebrew, Spanish, Hindi and Sanskrit
Meaningdate (the fruit), date palm, palm tree
Other names
Related namesTammy, Tamy, Tami, Tammii, Tam, Tamar, Tamra, Tammara, Thamar, Themar, Tammie and Toma

Tamara is a feminine given name with origins in Hebrew, Arabic, Spanish, Hindi, and Sanskrit. In Hebrew and Arabic, the name derives from a word meaning date, date palm, or palm tree; in Hebrew, תמר tamar, and in Arabic, تَمْرَة tamrah (singular) or تَمْر tamr (plural). In Hebrew, the name has Biblical origins.

The name was commonly used in the 1970s within the English-speaking world. The variant, Tamar, ranks as the second most popular name in Israel and is also prevalent in Russia.

Etymology

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The name Tamara signifies date, date palm, or palm tree and originates from the biblical name Tamar (Hebrew: תמר tamar). In Arabic, it is derived from the singular form Tamra (Arabic: تَمْرَة tamrah) and the plural form Tamar (Arabic: تَمْر tamr). In the Spanish language, where the name is also used, the Arabic word was borrowed (via Andalusian Arabic) with the same meaning of date palm.[2] In Sanskrit, it translates to water.[3][better source needed] In Russian, it is often associated with queen Tamar of Georgia.[4][5] In Hindi (Hindi: तामर tāmara), the name Tamara translates to spice.[6][7]

In the Bible, Tamar refers to two women: one is the daughter-in-law of Judah, Tamar, and the other is the daughter of King David and full sister of Absalom, Tamar. The latter was raped by her half-brother Amnon, leading Absalom to eventually kill him. Absalom named his daughter Tamar, described as a woman of great beauty, which may have influenced the name’s popularity.[8] Variations of Tamara include Tamera, Tamra, and Tammara in English, while biblical equivalents are Tamar, Thamar, and Themar. The name can also be shortened to diminutives such as Tami, Tammi, Tammie, and Tammy in English, or Toma in Russian.[9][10]

Popularity

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Tamara first appeared in the English-speaking world in the 1930s and reached its peak in the 1970s. In the 1980s, it gained particular popularity among Black Americans.[11] In the United States, the name was quite common from the late 1950s to mid-1990s, with the film Tammy and the Bachelor and its theme song boosting its popularity.[12][13] In the United States, more than 1,000 girls were named Tamara annually through 1996, with the highest numbers occurring in the 1970s.[14] As of 2023, Tamara is relatively uncommon in the United States; in 2010, it dropped off the Top 1,000 Social Security Administration baby names list, with fewer than 250 instances recorded that year.[13]

Although Tamar once held the top spot for girls' names in Israel, it dropped to second in 2022.[15][16] Since the 1930s, Tamara has ranked among the top 320 most popular names in Australia, with peak popularity from the 1970s through the 1990s.[17][18] The name was also popular in Spain during the 1980s, possibly influenced by the daughter of Isabel Preysler and Carlos Falcó, Tamara Falcó.[19] The name remains popular in Russia and frequently appears in Russian literature.[19][11] It is also common in Central and Eastern European countries.[18]

Notable people

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Fictional characters

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  • Tamara, in the British soap opera Hollyoaks

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011). Roach, Peter; Setter, Jane; Esling, John (eds.). Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary (18th ed.). Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-15255-6.
  2. ^ "támara". «Diccionario de la lengua española» - Edición del Tricentenario (in Spanish). Real Academia Española. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
  3. ^ "Tamara - Baby Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity". www.thebump.com. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
  4. ^ Dictionary of first names. London: Claremont Books. 1995. ISBN 978-1-85471-707-8.
  5. ^ "Significado do nome Tamara". Crescer (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-04-29.
  6. ^ Loughead, Flora Haines (1966). Dictionary of given names with origins and meanings. Glendale, Calif.: Arthur H. Clark.
  7. ^ Kolatch, Alfred J.; Kolatch, Alfred J. (1990). Dictionary of first names. New York, NY: Perigee Books. ISBN 978-0-399-51633-7.
  8. ^ Hanks, Patrick (2006). A dictionary of first names. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-861060-1.
  9. ^ Campbell, Mike. "Names Related to the name Tamara". Behind the Name. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
  10. ^ Webster's dictionary of first names. New York City: Galahad Books. 1981. ISBN 978-0-88365-492-7.
  11. ^ a b Dunkling, Leslie (1984). The Facts on file dictionary of first names. New York, N.Y.: Facts on File Publications. ISBN 978-0-87196-274-4.
  12. ^ "Baby names that gained the most popularity the year you were born". Stacker. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
  13. ^ a b "Popular Baby Names". www.ssa.gov. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
  14. ^ "Girl Name Tamara - Trends, Comments and Popularity of Tamara".
  15. ^ Zaltzman, Lior (2023-09-19). "The 20 Most Popular Jewish Baby Names in Israel". Kveller. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
  16. ^ Staff, Toi (6 October 2016). "Israel's top baby names are Muhammad, Tamar".
  17. ^ Nicholas, Josh. "Close call: most popular Australian baby names of the past century revealed". the Guardian. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
  18. ^ a b "Popularity for the name Tamara - Behind the Name". www.behindthename.com. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
  19. ^ a b "Significado del nombre Tamara: origen e historia - Nombres de niña". Ser Padres (in Spanish). 2023-08-04. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
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