Given name
Tabitha
“doe”·“resembling a gazelle; known for beauty and grace”
Tabitha is used as a given name. Interpretations include “doe” and “resembling a gazelle; known for beauty and grace” (Greek). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Original GreekΤαβιθά
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “doe” and “resembling a gazelle; known for beauty and grace” (Greek). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Greek.
How it developed
From Aramaic טביתא (Ṭabītā’, “doe, roe, gazelle”).
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
In the Bible
In the Bible, the name Tabitha appears in Acts 9:36, Acts 9:40, Mark 5:41.
- Acts 9:36
- Acts 9:40
- Mark 5:41
From biblical name research
Tabitha through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 59,346
- 146 boys · 59,200 girls
- Most popular year
- 1978
- 2,324 babies
- 2025
- 171
- #1,308 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −32%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 171 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,308 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 32.0% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 2,309 in 1978. In 2025, California and Texas shared the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (14 each). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 50,189 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Tabitha’s family of names
Tabitha has an affectionate form in Tabby. In English usage, Tabitha has a related form in Tabatha. Tabitha has a related form in Tabatha.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Tabitha has relatives in 7 languages. Lines run from its Ancient Greek roots to each of them.
9 related names in 7 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 23
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 6
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 7
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Tabitha
- Tabitha St. GermainCanadian actressborn 1962
- Tabitha KingAmerican writer (born 1949)
- Tabitha BabbittAmerican tool maker1779–1853
- Tabitha ChaŵingaMalawian association football playerborn 1996
- Tabitha StoeckerBritish skeleton racer (born 2000)
- Tabitha KaranjaKenyan businesswoman, entrepreneur and industrialistborn 1964
- Tabitha PetersonAmerican female curlerborn 1989
- Tabitha Sybil QuayeGhanaian politicianborn 1938
- Tabitha LupienCanadian actressborn 1988
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Tabitha, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Crystal
“resembling clear, sparkling, brilliant glass”
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Elpida
“filled with hope”
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Carissa
“a woman of grace”
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Sherise
“having grace and kindness”
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Rizpah
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Charis
“having grace and kindness”
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Віра
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Надежда
“hope”
>99% girls