Tamy
A girl's name of Hebrew origin with 623 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
cigarette
Tamy is a girl's baby name, a variant spelling of Tammy, which is of Hebrew origin, a diminutive of Tamara, from Tamar, meaning 'date palm tree' — a symbol of grace and beauty in the ancient Near East.
Tamy gives the popular mid-century Tammy a compact, European-feeling spelling. Tammy was among the most popular girls' names in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s — launched in part by Debbie Reynolds' hit song 'Tammy' from the 1957 film — and its variant spellings reflect how widely the name spread.
EtymologyShow more
Tamy is built from 4 letters and two syllables — a compact structure that favors quick recognition and easy recall. Within the Hebrew naming tradition, this brevity is common among names that have been worn down through centuries of use, shedding syllables along the way.
The interplay of consonants and vowels in Tamy creates its characteristic sharp, distinct quality. Two-syllable names are the most common length in American naming, hitting a natural speech rhythm that works across formal and informal contexts.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Tamy has 31+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1957.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 16 | #14697 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 30 | #10676 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 168 | #5129 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 282 | #2498 | ▲ |
| 1950s | 127 | #1824 | — |
The Story of Tamy
A Baby Boomer name
Peaking in 1960, Tamy is a timeless Baby Boomer name. Girls named Tamy are most likely born between 1957 and 1970.
How rare is Tamy?
With 623 total births on record, Tamy remains a rare and distinctive pick.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1957, peaked in the 1960s with 282 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Tamy by the numbers
- Would fill 13 school buses
- Meeting one Tamy per day would take 1.7 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(31 years, 1957–1996)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 5 | #15640 |
| 1993 | 6 | #13263 |
| 1991 | 5 | #15187 |
| 1987 | 6 | #11150 |
| 1983 | 5 | #11865 |
| 1982 | 8 | #8141 |
| 1981 | 6 | #10260 |
| 1980 | 5 | #11962 |
| 1979 | 7 | #8921 |
| 1978 | 6 | #9615 |
| 1977 | 10 | #6292 |
| 1976 | 11 | #5565 |
| 1975 | 10 | #5937 |
| 1974 | 21 | #3303 |
| 1973 | 16 | #3943 |
| 1972 | 26 | #2736 |
| 1971 | 30 | #2536 |
| 1970 | 31 | #2440 |
| 1969 | 18 | #3301 |
| 1968 | 17 | #3298 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
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When was Tamy most popular?
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Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1957–1996