Tamer
A name of Arabic origin meaning "perfect" or "complete".
Name Census estimates that about 771 living Americans carry the first name Tamer. It is a predominantly male name (96.0% of registrations). The average person named Tamer today is around 29 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Tamer births was 2004 (31 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Tamer. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
771
~ 1 in 444,558 Americans
Peak year
2004
31 babies that year
Average age
29
years old
2023 SSA rank
#4,905
Tracked since 1907
Gender
Gender distribution for Tamer
Tamer leans heavily male at 96.0% of total registrations, but 33 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Tamer as a male name
- Ranked #13,945 in 2023
- 5 male births in 2023
- Peak: 2004 (31 births)
Tamer as a female name
- Ranked #4,905 in 1925
- 6 female births in 1925
- Peak: 1918 (11 births)
Popularity
Tamer: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Tamer from the 1900s through to the 2020s, spanning 9 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 214 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Tamer by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Tamer during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Tamers live
The SSA's state-level files cover 5 states and territories. New York, California, New Jersey recorded the most babies named Tamer, while North Carolina, Illinois, New Jersey recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 24 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Tamer
The name Tamer originated in the Arabic language and culture, with its roots tracing back to the ancient Middle Eastern region. Derived from the Arabic word "tamr," which means "date" or "date palm," the name Tamer has a rich historical significance tied to the importance of date palms in the region's culture and agricultural traditions.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Tamer can be found in ancient Arabic poetry and literature, where it was often used as a metaphor to describe someone's strength, resilience, and ability to persevere, much like the date palm tree thriving in the harsh desert environment. The name also carried connotations of sweetness and nourishment, reflecting the life-sustaining qualities of the date fruit.
Historically, several notable figures have borne the name Tamer. One of the most prominent was Tamer al-Mustawfi, an influential Persian historian and author who lived in the 14th century (1283-1342 CE). His works, such as "Nuzhat al-Qulub" (Delight of Hearts), provided invaluable insights into the political and cultural landscape of the time.
Another famous Tamer was Tamer Hosny, an Egyptian singer, and actor who rose to fame in the early 2000s. Born in 1977, Hosny's music and films gained immense popularity across the Arab world, cementing his status as a cultural icon.
In the realm of sports, Tamer El Sawy, an Egyptian squash player born in 1979, made a significant impact. He achieved numerous titles and accolades, including becoming the World No. 1 in 2004, and won the World Open twice, in 2004 and 2006.
Moving to the literary world, Tamer Mallat is a renowned Lebanese writer and journalist. Born in 1979, Mallat has authored several books and articles exploring themes of identity, politics, and cultural narratives in the Middle East.
Finally, Tamer Hassan is an Egyptian filmmaker and screenwriter born in 1967. His works, including the critically acclaimed film "Clash" (2016), have garnered international recognition and shed light on sociopolitical issues in the region.
While the name Tamer has its roots in the Arabic language and culture, it has transcended geographical boundaries and gained popularity across various communities, carrying with it the essence of resilience, sweetness, and nourishment symbolized by the date palm.
People
Tamer + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Tamer as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with T
Other first names starting with T with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Tamer: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Tamer?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 771 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Tamer going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 444,558 US residents.
Is Tamer a common name?
We classify Tamer as "Very Rare". It ranks above 88.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 826 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Tamer most popular?
The single biggest year for Tamer was 2004, when 31 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Tamer is about 29 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Tamer a male name?
Yes, 96.0% of people registered as Tamer in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.