Tamela is a unique and distinctive female given name of African American origin. It is believed to have been coined by the popular singer-songwriter Tammi Terrell, who was born Thomasina Montgomery in 1945. Tammi Terrell changed her name to Tamela when she started her music career in the late 1960s.
The meaning and significance of the name Tamela are not widely documented. As it is a modern creation, it does not have an established historical or cultural background like many traditional names. However, some people associate Tamela with the Swahili word "tamasha," which means "celebration" or "noise." This connection could be attributed to Tammi Terrell's successful music career and her vibrant performances.
Tamela gained popularity during the soul and R&B era of the 1960s and 1970s, thanks to Tammi Terrell's notable collaborations with Marvin Gaye. She sang lead vocals on several popular duets with him, such as "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and "Your Precious Love." Tammi Terrell's powerful voice and dynamic stage presence made her a significant figure in the world of music, contributing to the popularity of the name Tamela.
Today, Tamela continues to be a unique and recognizable name, often associated with the vibrant musical era it emerged from. Although its meaning remains somewhat elusive, many people choose this name for its distinctive sound and connection to African American culture and music history.
Based on the statistics provided, the name Tamela has seen a significant rise and fall in popularity over the years in the United States. The name first appeared in the top 1000 baby names list in 1947 with just 10 births recorded that year. This number remained relatively low for the next few years, with between 7 to 23 births each year until 1957.
However, starting from 1957, there was a notable increase in the popularity of the name Tamela. In that year alone, there were 146 births recorded, marking a significant jump from the previous years. This trend continued into the next few years, with over 300 births each year between 1958 and 1967.
The peak of Tamela's popularity came in 1967 when there were 326 births recorded that year. However, after this peak, the name began to lose its popularity once again. By 1972, the number of births had decreased to just 192, and it continued to fall steadily throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
In the 1990s and early 2000s, the name Tamela saw a slight resurgence in popularity, with between 9 to 35 births recorded each year. However, this was still far from its peak in the late 1960s. In recent years, the name has become quite rare, with only a handful of births recorded each year since 2005.
Overall, while Tamela was once a relatively popular name in the United States, it has since fallen out of favor and is now quite uncommon. Despite this, there have been a total of 7187 babies named Tamela born in the United States since 1947, which is still an impressive number given the fluctuations in its popularity over the years.