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Tanner

♂ Boy

Pronounced TAN-er /ˈtæn.ər/High

Meaning: English occupational surname from Middle English 'tannere' meaning a person who tans animal hides to make leather, from the process of using tannin (from tree bark) to cure hides; transferred to first-name useHigh

In 30 seconds: Tanner is a rugged occupational surname name meaning 'leather worker.' With a solid, two-syllable sound and a distinctly American feel, it has been a popular boys' name since the late 20th century.

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Origin HighEnglish, German

MeaningEnglish occupational surname from Middle English 'tannere' meaning a person who tans animal hides to make leather, from the process of using tannin (from tree bark) to cure hides; transferred to first-name use

U.S. rank (2025)#475 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births641 boys (0.03% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1998

Total births (all-time)≈ 97,621

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

History & Origin

Tanner is an English occupational surname from Middle English tannere, denoting a person who processed animal hides into leather using tannin derived from tree bark. Occupational surnames became hereditary in England around the 12th century, and tanning was a significant trade. The name transferred to first-name use in the United States through the surname-as-given-name tradition.

Tanner gained significant popularity as a given name in the United States from the 1980s through the 2000s, fitting within the American taste for rugged, outdoorsy surname names. It ranked in the U.S. top 100 boys' names at various points. Its two-syllable, -er ending fits a popular naming pattern alongside names like Cooper, Tucker, and Hunter.

Did you know? Tanning — the process of converting animal hides into leather using tannin from tree bark — was one of the most important trades in pre-industrial society. Tanners were indispensable craftsmen, though their work was famously malodorous, and their surname has survived as one of America's favorite occupational names.

Overall data confidence 93%

Behind the Name — Tanner — etymology and historyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

TanarTannar

Nicknames

Tan

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Tanner…

Hunter— shares the occupational surname origin and the same rugged American feel

Tucker— another occupational -er surname name with the same two-syllable American energy

Cooper— shares the craft surname tradition and the same era of peak popularity

Sawyer— equally rugged occupational surname name with the same Western Americana feel

Frequently Asked

What does Tanner mean?

Tanner means 'one who tans leather,' from the English occupational surname for a craftsman who converted animal hides into leather using tannin from tree bark.

How do you pronounce Tanner?

Tanner is pronounced TAN-er /ˈtæn.ər/ — two syllables with stress on the first.

Is Tanner a popular boys' name?

Tanner has been in the U.S. top 100 boys' names at various points since the 1980s and remains a steady choice for its rugged, American character.

What is the origin of the name Tanner?

Tanner is an English occupational surname from the leather-working trade, where tannin from tree bark was used to cure hides — a practice dating back to ancient times.