Tam

♂ Boy

Pronounced TAM /ˈtæm/Medium

Meaning: A Scottish short form of Thomas (from Aramaic te'oma, 'twin'), long familiar through Robert Burns's poem 'Tam o' Shanter.' Used on its own; some other-language routes exist, so the route is noted as uncertain.Low

In 30 seconds: A cozy Scottish short form: Tam nicks Thomas, 'twin' (said 'TAM'). Familiar from Burns's 'Tam o' Shanter' — route uncertain, which we note.

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Origin LowScottish, English

MeaningA Scottish short form of Thomas (from Aramaic te'oma, 'twin'), long familiar through Robert Burns's poem 'Tam o' Shanter.' Used on its own; some other-language routes exist, so the route is noted as uncertain.

U.S. rank (2025)#13669 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1982

Total births (all-time)≈ 989

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

Tam is chiefly a Scottish short form of Thomas, from Aramaic te'oma, 'twin' — immortalized in Burns's narrative poem 'Tam o' Shanter.' Used alone it reads as a friendly, folk-flavored name; because it can arise by other routes too, we note the uncertainty (said 'TAM').

As a standalone name it appears only rarely for boys in the U.S. Rare, Scottish, and homey.

Did you know? Tam is a Scottish short form of Thomas ('twin'), made famous by Robert Burns's poem 'Tam o' Shanter.' It stands on its own as a warm, homey name; other routes exist too, which we note (said 'TAM').

Overall data confidence 42%

References — Tam — Scottish short form of Thomas 'twin'; route uncertain

Variations

TammThomas

Nicknames

TammyTommy

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

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By themeuncertain short scottish short-form

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Tam mean?

Tam is a Scottish short form of Thomas, meaning 'twin.' Other routes exist, so its route is uncertain, which we note.

How do you pronounce Tam?

It's said TAM /ˈtæm/ — one syllable.

Is Tam a boy or girl name?

Tam is used here as a boy's name.

How popular is Tam?

Tam is a rare standalone name for boys in the U.S.