Tamlin as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Tamlin

What is the meaning of the name Tamlin ?

The baby name Tamlin is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced IPA: /ˈtæm.lɪn/ — respelling: TAM-lin.

Tamlin is English, Scottish in Origin.

Tamlin stems from Scots Tam, the familiar form of Thomas, combined with the diminutive -lin, aligning it with English surnames like Tomlin. Through Thomas (Greek/Latin from Aramaic Ta’oma), it carries the meaning “twin,” often interpreted as “little Thomas” or “little twin.” The spelling Tamlin is also influenced by the traditional ballad title being written as a single word in modern retellings.

The name is best known from the Scottish border ballad “Tam Lin” (recorded in the Child Ballads), where the enchanted knight is rescued by Janet - an association that gives Tamlin a folkloric, romantic aura. Usage as a given name is rare but has seen modern revival through literature and fantasy, including Pamela Dean’s Tam Lin and Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses. Variants and related forms include Tamlane/Tam Lane, Tamlyn, Tomlin, and the diminutive Tam; feminine cognates include Tamsin and Thomasin.