Tate Boy

Popularity: #190 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: Tate /teɪt/

Origin: English; Old French

Meaning: English: cheerful; Old French: light

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Tate has its roots in Old English, deriving from the word "tata," which means "cheerful" or "bringer of joy." This term evolved through various linguistic stages, eventually being adopted into Middle English as a surname. The transition into a given name occurred in the 19th century, reflecting a broader trend of surnames being repurposed as first names during this period.

The name Tate is often considered a diminutive or derivative of the surname, which itself may have originated as a nickname for someone who was jovial or lighthearted. Historically, the name Tate can be traced back to notable figures in English history, including individuals who held land or titles in the medieval period.

The name appears in various records from the 13th century onward, often associated with families in England. It is also worth noting that the name Tate has been borne by several prominent individuals in the arts and literature, contributing to its recognition over the centuries.

The surname gained further prominence through its association with the Tate Gallery, established in London in the early 20th century, which houses a significant collection of British art. Culturally, the name Tate carries connotations of creativity and artistic expression, likely influenced by its association with the Tate Gallery and various artists throughout history.

The name has also been linked to themes of joy and positivity, aligning with its etymological roots. As a given name, Tate embodies a sense of individuality and modernity, while still retaining a connection to its historical and linguistic origins.

Its simplicity and phonetic appeal have contributed to its enduring presence in English-speaking cultures.

Famous people named Tate

In this section, you will find notable people named Tate. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Tate who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Tate who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Tate McRae is a singer and dancer best known for You Broke Me First, She's All I Wanna Be, and You Wish I Was Dead.

Tate Donovan is an actor best known for The O.C., Friends, and Good Will Hunting.

Tate Modern is a museum known for contemporary art exhibitions and installations.

Fictional characters named Tate

The following list of fictional characters named Tate is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Tate Langdon is a fictional character from the TV series American Horror Story: Murder House. He is a troubled teenager who becomes a ghost haunting the house where he lived and died.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Tate, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

JakeColeLiamMaxEthanRyan

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Tate. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

TannerTateoTalonTylerTroyTobin

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Tate was first seen in the United States in 1912.

Tate has ranked as high as #338 nationally, which occurred in 2025, and has been most popular in Texas, California, Utah, Minnesota, and Iowa.

In the past 5 years the name Tate has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Tate is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Tate was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Tate.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 2,022 1,862 160
2024 1,783 1,700 83
2023 1,931 1,854 77
2022 1,569 1,489 80
2021 1,129 1,092 37
2020 932 898 34
2019 726 698 28
2018 621 582 39
2017 734 682 52
2016 712 691 21
2015 773 742 31
2014 830 803 27
2013 904 880 24
2012 790 769 21
2011 751 724 27
2010 747 717 30
2009 661 636 25
2008 713 672 41
2007 747 711 36
2006 746 710 36
2005 809 759 50
2004 751 700 51
2003 692 644 48
2002 587 535 52
2001 605 563 42
2000 607 547 60
1999 530 492 38
1998 457 411 46
1997 380 345 35
1996 338 307 31
1995 269 246 23
1994 291 260 31
1993 262 236 26
1992 257 227 30
1991 148 132 16
1990 126 112 14
1989 86 76 10
1988 78 78 0
1987 82 73 9
1986 76 69 7
1985 69 63 6
1984 44 44 0
1983 64 64 0
1982 51 51 0
1981 81 76 5
1980 61 61 0
1979 67 62 5
1978 86 86 0
1977 92 92 0
1976 91 85 6
1975 92 87 5
1974 80 80 0
1973 64 64 0
1972 81 81 0
1971 113 113 0
1970 54 54 0
1969 43 43 0
1968 40 40 0
1967 29 29 0
1966 30 30 0
1965 32 32 0
1964 23 23 0
1963 29 29 0
1962 15 15 0
1961 25 25 0
1960 29 29 0
1959 7 7 0
1958 5 5 0
1957 6 6 0
1954 5 5 0
1952 9 9 0
1951 10 10 0
1949 6 6 0
1948 6 6 0
1947 7 7 0
1946 7 7 0
1945 8 8 0
1944 5 5 0
1943 5 5 0
1938 6 6 0
1936 8 8 0
1934 6 6 0
1929 5 5 0
1927 6 6 0
1926 5 5 0
1925 7 7 0
1924 5 5 0
1923 12 12 0
1922 8 8 0
1921 5 5 0
1920 6 6 0
1918 8 8 0
1917 5 5 0
1916 17 17 0
1915 9 9 0
1914 8 8 0
1912 6 6 0

Top States for Tate (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
TX 142
8%
MI 79
5%
OH 79
5%
MO 73
4%
FL 70
4%
UT 67
4%
GA 66
4%
IA 61
4%
IN 60
4%
CA 59
3%
TN 53
3%
MN 53
3%
WI 51
3%
KY 50
3%
PA 50
3%
NC 49
3%
IL 49
3%
AL 44
3%
OK 42
2%
LA 42
2%
VA 39
2%
CO 38
2%
WA 33
2%
NY 33
2%
KS 33
2%
AR 31
2%
AZ 30
2%
OR 27
2%
WV 26
2%
NE 25
1%
ID 23
1%
MA 20
1%
SC 15
1%
CT 13
1%
SD 12
1%
MD 11
1%
MT 10
1%
MS 9
1%
NH 8
0%
ND 7
0%
ME 7
0%
HI 6
0%
NV 6
0%
NJ 6
0%