Tatum, a surname-turned-given-name, was originally used as a place name meaning "Tata's homestead" in Old English. It first appeared in the Social Security Administration's top 1,000 for girl names in 1994, but didn't crack the top-300 until 2021. Tatum is also a common boy's name today, first appearing on the SSA's top 1,000 in 2010 and cracking the top-250 for the first time in 2023. For reference, it was given to nearly 1,500 baby boys and 1,300 baby girls in 2023. The name was popularized by actress Tatum O'Neal and a character in the 1996 film "Scream," but its popularity today is primarily attributed to reality star Khloé Kardashian and NBA player Tristan Thompson, who named their son Tatum in 2022. Boston Celtics player Jayson Tatum is also helping to modernize the name.
