NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Tamsin

A feminine name of Aramaic origin meaning "date palm tree".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Tamsin is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Tamsin popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2574, with 10 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 137 births.

This profile covers 1,741 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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 7% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 1,904 living people in the UK are called Tamsin. 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 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Tamsin ranked #2574 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 10 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 1996, when 137 girls were registered as Tamsin.
  • Tamsin ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #413 in 2007.
  • About 1,904 living people in the UK are estimated to have Tamsin as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#2574

2024

Births in 2024

10

Latest year

Peak year

1996

137 births

Estimated living

1,904

2026

Meaning

What does Tamsin mean?

The given name Tamsin has its origins in the medieval French language, where it was derived from the name Thomasine, a feminine form of the name Thomas. The name Thomas itself has its roots in the Aramaic name Toma, meaning "twin."

The name Tamsin gained popularity in England during the Middle Ages, particularly in the 12th and 13th centuries. It was often used as a diminutive or shortened form of the name Thomasine, which was a common name among English women at the time.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Tamsin can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Tamesina," likely referring to a woman living in the region at that time.

In the literary world, the name Tamsin is associated with the character Tamsin Willoughby, a central figure in the novel "Tess of the D'Urbervilles" by Thomas Hardy, published in 1891. This literary work helped popularize the name in the late 19th century.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Tamsin. One prominent example is Tamsin Greig (born 1967), a British actress known for her roles in television shows such as "Green Wing" and "Friday Night Dinner."

Another notable Tamsin is Tamsin Blanchard (born 1976), a British fashion journalist and writer who has contributed to numerous publications, including Harper's Bazaar and The Telegraph.

In the realm of music, Tamsin Wilson (born 1969) is a British singer and songwriter who has performed with various bands, including Wilcox and The Rails.

Tamsin Merchant (born 1987) is a British actress who has appeared in films such as "Pride & Prejudice" and "The Tudors."

Lastly, Tamsin Egerton (born 1988) is a British model and actress best known for her roles in films like "St Trinian's" and "Camelot."

These are just a few examples of notable individuals named Tamsin throughout history, demonstrating the enduring popularity and legacy of this name with roots in medieval French and English cultures.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Tamsin over time

The chart below shows babies named Tamsin registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Tamsin, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 10 births in 2024, compared with 137 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Tamsin
03469103137199620102024

Decades

Tamsin by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Tamsin 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
2020s #2114 65 5
2010s #1215 335 10
2000s #423 885 10
1990s #311 456 4

Geography

Where Tamsin is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Tamsin. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Tamsin ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #413 in 2007.

Scotland
5
Northern Ireland
3

Across the UK

Tamsin in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#585 in 2016

31 years of NRS records, 173 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#413 in 2007

1 years of NISRA records, 3 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Tamsin

  • Tamsin Miller

    sport cyclist

    British sport cyclist

    1999-

  • Tamsin Riley

    pornographic actor

    British pornographic actress

    1995-

  • Tamsin Egerton

    actor; stage actor; model; film actor

    British actress

    1988-

  • Tamsin Omond

    writer; journalist; environmentalist; climate activist

    British author, environmental activist and journalist

    1984-

  • Tamsin Greenway

    netballer

    British netball player

    1982-

  • Tamsin Edwards

    climatologist; science communicator

    British climate scientist (1979-)

    1979-

  • Tamsin Lewis

    triathlete

    British triathlete

    1979-

  • Tamsin Mary Plumptre

    (born 1978)

    1978-

Related

Names similar to Tamsin

FAQ

Tamsin: questions and answers

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

In 2024, Tamsin was ranked #2574 for girls in England and Wales, with 10 births registered.

When was Tamsin most popular?

The peak year on record was 1996, with 137 babies registered as Tamsin in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Tamsin?

A feminine name of Aramaic origin meaning "date palm tree".

How many people are called Tamsin in the UK?

A total of 1,741 babies have been registered as Tamsin across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 173 more in Scotland and 3 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Tamsin most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Tamsin ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #413 in 2007. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

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.