NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Tamla

Feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly Egyptian, meaning "palm tree branch.".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2004. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Tamla is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Tamla popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2004 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4598, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1998, with 3 births.

This profile covers 9 England and Wales registrations across 3 recorded years from 1998 to 2004. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 9 living people in the UK are called Tamla. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2005 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Tamla ranked #4598 for girls in England and Wales in 2004, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 1998, when 3 girls were registered as Tamla.
  • About 9 living people in the UK are estimated to have Tamla as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4598

2004

Births in 2004

3

Latest year

Peak year

1998

3 births

Estimated living

9

2026

Meaning

What does Tamla mean?

The name Tamla is believed to have its origins in the Arabic language. It is derived from the word "tamar," which means "date palm" or "date fruit." This name was likely first used in regions where Arabic was spoken, such as the Middle East and North Africa.

Tamla is a variation of the more common Arabic name Tamar. The earliest recorded use of the name Tamar can be found in the Old Testament of the Bible, where it was the name of a daughter-in-law of Judah. In the biblical story, Tamar played a significant role in ensuring the continuity of Judah's lineage.

During the medieval period, the name Tamla was relatively uncommon. However, it gained some popularity in certain parts of the Middle East and North Africa. One notable historical figure with this name was Tamla al-Zahra, a 10th-century Tunisian poet and scholar who was renowned for her contributions to Arabic literature.

In the 16th century, Tamla became more widely used in some regions of the Ottoman Empire. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name was Tamla Hatun, a Turkish noblewoman who lived during the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent in the 1500s.

Another notable bearer of the name Tamla was Tamla al-Baghdadi, an Iraqi calligrapher and artist who lived in the 18th century. Her exquisite calligraphic works were highly acclaimed and can still be found in various collections around the world.

In more recent history, the name Tamla gained popularity in the United States in the 20th century, particularly among African American communities. This can be attributed, in part, to the success of the Motown record label, which was originally called Tamla Records when it was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. in 1959.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Tamla over time

The chart below shows babies named Tamla registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1998 to 2004. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Tamla, the clearest high point is 1998. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2004, compared with 3 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Tamla
01223199820012004

Decades

Tamla by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Tamla was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2000s #4255 6 2
1990s #3848 3 1

Related

Names similar to Tamla

FAQ

Tamla: questions and answers

How popular is the name Tamla in the UK right now?

In 2004, Tamla was ranked #4598 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Tamla most popular?

The peak year on record was 1998, with 3 babies registered as Tamla in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Tamla?

Feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly Egyptian, meaning "palm tree branch.".

How many people are called Tamla in the UK?

A total of 9 babies have been registered as Tamla across the 3 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.