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Tabby
How to Pronounce Tabby
Pronounced TAB-ee /ˈtæb.i/Medium
Meaning: Tabby is a diminutive of Tabitha, from the Aramaic tabhyetha, 'gazelle'; Tabitha appears in the New Testament as the woman also called Dorcas, known for her charity, and Tabby has long served as her familiar short form.Low
Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Tabby began as an affectionate short form of Tabitha, the Aramaic 'gazelle' name borne in the Book of Acts by a woman known for good works and charity. In the United States it appears lightly as a stand-alone given name, mostly in earlier records.
Tabby was never common as a formal first name, given to only about twenty girls a year at its modest peak, and it has largely stayed a nickname since. A girl named Tabby then would be a great-grandmother today.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Tabby mean?
It is a short form of Tabitha, from the Aramaic for 'gazelle,' the name of a New Testament woman also called Dorcas.
How do you pronounce Tabby?
It is said TAB-ee /ˈtæb.i/, two syllables with the stress on the first.
Is Tabby a boy or girl name?
Tabby is used as a girl's name.
How popular is Tabby?
It has always been rare as a formal first name in the United States, given to only about twenty girls a year at its peak in the mid nineteen-fifties.