Tatum

Tāta’s homestead, through an English place name and surname.

Tatum is an English name used for girls and boys, with a meaning inherited from a place: “Tāta’s homestead”. The surname is a form of Tatham, linked to the Lancashire place of that name. Tāta is the personal name in the older place name, while hām supplies the homestead meaning. That gives Tatum a concrete connection to settlement and home. Its English rhythm places the emphasis on the first of two syllables. The opening vowel glides, the second syllable is lighter, and the final m rounds off the sound. Tatum can feel brisk and casual, with enough softness to avoid an abrupt finish. The repeated t letters also give its five-letter spelling a neat rhythm of its own.

Etymology: From the surname Tatum, a form of Tatham, after the Lancashire place named from Tāta and Old English hām “homestead”.