Tatum

At a Glance

Meaning

Tata's homestead (an Old English personal name of unknown meaning, plus 'hām' = homestead)

Origin

English (Old English surname/place name)

Gender

Neutral

Pronunciation

TAY-tumListen

Tatum is a neutral name with a timeless, classic feel, pronounced TAY-tum (IPA /ˈteɪtəm/). It comes from Old English, where it literally means 'Tata's homestead' — Tata being a personal name of unknown meaning, combined with 'hām,' meaning homestead. You may have seen Tatum described as meaning 'cheerful' or 'bringer of joy,' but that isn't accurate: there's no etymological basis for it, since the name traces back to a homestead name rather than a word for cheerfulness.

Meaning & Origin of Tatum

Meaning: Tata's homestead (an Old English personal name of unknown meaning, plus 'hām' = homestead).

Origin: English (Old English surname/place name).

A common claim: Tatum is often said to mean 'cheerful' or 'bringer of joy.' Actually: There's no etymological basis for that — Tatum traces to an Old English homestead name ('Tata's homestead'), not a word for cheerfulness.

Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.

How to Pronounce Tatum

Popularity of Tatum

SSA records going back to 1966 show Tatum's highest point yet came in 2024, when it ranked #195 with 1,833 babies given the name.

Names Like Tatum

These names share Tatum’s style, era or origin.

• Tate
• Blake
• Briggs
• Camden
• Chance
• Dallas

FAQ

What does the name Tatum mean?

Tata’s homestead (an Old English personal name of unknown meaning, plus ‘hām’ = homestead). (Source: Wiktionary)

How do you pronounce Tatum?

Tatum is pronounced TAY-tum (IPA: /ˈteɪtəm/).

Is Tatum a popular name right now?

Tatum is at its highest recorded popularity right now, ranked #195 in 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1966–2024.)

Make Tatum Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Tatum, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.