Fun Facts About the Name Tabu
- 5 babies named Tabu: U.S. records list 5 babies given the name Tabu from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Tabu Mean?
The given name Tabu has no securely established meaning or language of origin. It is identical in spelling to tabu, an older English form of taboo, which comes from Tongan tabu, meaning "set apart" or "forbidden." That is the etymology of the vocabulary word, not a documented derivation of the personal name. A separate association is with Tabassum, an Urdu name from Arabic tabassum, "smile"; Tabu is used as a familiar short form of that name, but this does not establish a general meaning for Tabu as an independent given name.
Tabu Name History & Origins
The history of Tabu as a traditional given name is not well documented. The best-known modern bearer is the Indian actress Tabassum Fatima Hashmi, who uses Tabu as a professional name; that usage is a personal short form of Tabassum rather than evidence of an older naming tradition. In English, tabu was borrowed as a variant of taboo from Tongan tabu, but the word's history should not be confused with the history of the personal name. No reliable derivation connects the two.
How Popular is the Name Tabu?
Tabu has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 1978. Its best rank was #6,647 in 1978.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | #6,647 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Most Popular Boy Names That Start with T
Short Boy Names That Start with T
How the Name Tabu Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You like to control everyone within your influence, to shape things to your own liking. If positive, you develop high spirituality, as you have a God's protection. You are sensitive, affectionate, imaginative and cooperative, spiritually aware and prone to self-sacrifice. You can keep secrets and are a good diplomat. You may have healing and psychic powers. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
Position and social status is very important for you and you are always looking for way to improve your position in society. You have power and ability to chose your own destiny and achieve anything you want in life. You can expand in any direction according to your will and the set of values. You have passion for justice and belong to the position of authority. You have an inherent courage and endurance to accomplish "The Impossible Dream". With the power comes responsibility. You hold keys to the material world, but with this gift comes high spiritual responsibility to be fair and true to others. You are philosophical and mature, determined and intense with a desire to endure, often religious.
✦ Tabu's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Tabu's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.