Tamara
Of Slavic origin, mainly from Russian Тама́ра (Tamára), name of a 12th-century saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church, cognate with English biblical Tamar, from Hebrew תמר…
Every Tamara since 1917 — 131,703 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Tamara
Tamara is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #1,816 in 2025 with 111 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1917, 131,703 American babies have been named Tamara. Its peak came in 1970, when 4,733 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1970s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Tamara stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Tamara year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 111 | #1,816 | — | — |
| 2024 | 115 | #1,767 | — | — |
| 2023 | 109 | #1,849 | — | — |
| 2022 | 120 | #1,741 | — | — |
| 2021 | 106 | #1,884 | — | — |
| 2020 | 107 | #1,839 | — | — |
| 2019 | 124 | #1,699 | — | — |
| 2018 | 114 | #1,798 | — | — |
| 2017 | 141 | #1,561 | — | — |
| 2016 | 155 | #1,484 | — | — |
| 2015 | 181 | #1,315 | — | — |
| 2014 | 168 | #1,381 | — | — |
| 2013 | 187 | #1,272 | — | — |
| 2012 | 203 | #1,209 | — | — |
| 2011 | 217 | #1,134 | — | — |
| 2010 | 231 | #1,081 | — | — |
| 2009 | 300 | #908 | — | — |
| 2008 | 352 | #816 | — | — |
| 2007 | 416 | #700 | — | — |
| 2006 | 416 | #681 | — | — |
| 2005 | 438 | #639 | — | — |
| 2004 | 503 | #568 | — | — |
| 2003 | 575 | #499 | — | — |
| 2002 | 797 | #374 | 5 | #12,286 |
| 2001 | 623 | #447 | — | — |
| 2000 | 681 | #417 | — | — |
| 1995 | 1,070 | #258 | — | — |
| 1990 | 1,381 | #209 | 9 | #5,761 |
| 1985 | 1,991 | #148 | 16 | #3,059 |
| 1980 | 2,808 | #108 | 13 | #3,407 |
| 1975 | 3,629 | #77 | 17 | #2,528 |
| 1970 | 4,721 | #79 | 12 | #2,874 |
| 1965 | 3,562 | #104 | 18 | #1,909 |
| 1960 | 3,665 | #124 | 8 | #3,311 |
| 1955 | 670 | #329 | — | — |
| 1950 | 387 | #407 | — | — |
| 1945 | 194 | #528 | — | — |
| 1940 | 179 | #516 | — | — |
| 1935 | 29 | #1,379 | — | — |
| 1930 | 10 | #3,031 | — | — |
| 1925 | 7 | #4,385 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Tamara
- Tamara de Lempicka Painter · 1898–1980
- Tamara Karsavina Dancer · 1885–1978
- Tamara Bunke Military personnel · 1937–1967
- Tamara Press Athlete · b. 1937
- Tamara Smirnova Astronomer · 1935–2001
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Tamara mean?
Of Slavic origin, mainly from Russian Тама́ра (Tamára), name of a 12th-century saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church, cognate with English biblical Tamar, from Hebrew תמר (tāmār, “date palm”).
How popular is the name Tamara in 2025?
Tamara ranked #1,816 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 111 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Tamara?
131,703 babies have been named Tamara in the United States since 1917, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Tamara most popular?
Tamara peaked in 1970, when 4,733 newborns received the name.
Is Tamara a boy or girl name?
Tamara is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Tamara rising or falling?
Tamara is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Tamara?
Well-known people named Tamara include Tamara de Lempicka (painter), Tamara Karsavina (dancer), Tamara Bunke (military personnel).