Tab
A boy's name of Old French origin with 1,110 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
A key on a computer keyboard that typically inserts a tab or moves the input focus.
Tab is a boy's baby name of Old French origin, a short form of Talbot — from the Old French personal name possibly meaning 'pillager, brigand' or 'bloodhound.' Tab Hunter, the American actor and pop singer of the 1950s and 1960s, made the name recognizable as a standalone given name.
Tab Hunter's blond, clean-cut appeal in films like Damn Yankees and his pop hit 'Young Love' made Tab synonymous with mid-century American masculine charm. Short, punchy, and impossible to forget, it's one of the most economical names in the American naming lexicon.
EtymologyShow more
Tab is cataloged under the Old French naming tradition. Names from the Old French tradition carry linguistic and cultural patterns that shape their sound, structure, and associations.
In the U.S., Tab has been recorded as a boy's name since 1953, with 1,110 total births. Browse the Old French names hub on this site to explore the broader family.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Tab has 44+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1953.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 12 | ▼ |
| 1990s | 41 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 86 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 126 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 425 | ▲ |
| 1950s | 420 | — |
The Story of Tab
A Baby Boomer name
Peaking in 1957, Tab is a timeless Baby Boomer name. Boys named Tab are most likely born between 1953 and 1967.
How rare is Tab?
With 1,110 total births on record, Tab remains a rare and distinctive pick.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1953, peaked in the 1960s with 425 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Tab by the numbers
- Would fill 23 school buses
- Meeting one Tab per day would take 3 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(44 years, 1953–2015)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 5 | #13796 |
| 2013 | 7 | #10589 |
| 1996 | 7 | #7866 |
| 1995 | 7 | #7698 |
| 1993 | 6 | #8574 |
| 1991 | 13 | #4448 |
| 1990 | 8 | #6336 |
| 1989 | 9 | #5540 |
| 1988 | 11 | #4419 |
| 1987 | 11 | #4203 |
| 1986 | 9 | #4797 |
| 1985 | 6 | #6437 |
| 1984 | 8 | #4906 |
| 1983 | 6 | #6129 |
| 1982 | 9 | #4544 |
| 1981 | 5 | #7155 |
| 1980 | 12 | #3588 |
| 1979 | 11 | #3786 |
| 1978 | 8 | #4514 |
| 1977 | 9 | #4124 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1953–2015