Boy name · Māori
Tama
“son, young man”
Vibes
Explore Tama further
Similar-feel alternatives, or middle-name candidates that pair well with Tama — both ranked by the same scoring system (vibe overlap, syllable rhythm, origin compatibility).
About the name
Tama is Māori — "son, boy, young man" — the direct word, warm as a hand on the shoulder, and the tama of Tamanuiterā, the great sun.
Rare beyond Aotearoa, Tama is sonship itself as a name.
Two open syllables (TAH-mah). It pairs well with fuller middles (Tama James, Tama Alexander). On our vibe map it is Cultural Fusion at family temperature — the son, addressed directly.
More Māori names
Tama sits in our Māori set — these share its roots.
All Māori names →Tama — common questions
Is Tama a boy or girl name?
Tama is traditionally a boy name of Māori origin.
What does the name Tama mean?
Tama means “son, young man” of Māori origin. Tama is Māori — "son, boy, young man" — the direct word, warm as a hand on the shoulder, and the tama of Tamanuiterā, the great sun.
Where does the name Tama come from?
Tama is Māori in origin. Rare beyond Aotearoa, Tama is sonship itself as a name.
How popular is Tama?
Tama did not make the top 1,000 boys' names in US Social Security Administration data for 2025, which makes it genuinely rare in the US.
Bring the name into the room
A couple of nice things named Tama you might want for the nursery.