Fun Facts About the Name Tal
- More than 1 thousand babies named Tal: U.S. records list 1,813 babies given the name Tal from 1880 through 2025. Even 548 girls received the name Tal - about 1 girl for every 2 boys.
What Does the Name Tal Mean?
Tal is a Hebrew name meaning "dew." It comes from the Hebrew noun טַל (tal), the ordinary word for the moisture that forms on plants overnight. The name is a direct use of that common noun rather than a shortened form of a longer biblical name, and the meaning is literal: dew.
In the Hebrew Bible the word appears in poetry as an image of blessing and freshness, as in the phrase "the dew of heaven" in Genesis 27:28. That biblical resonance is an association the name carries, not a separate meaning. Tal is a distinct name from the similar-sounding Talia, whose etymology is disputed; the two should not be merged.
Tal Name History & Origins
Tal belongs to the large group of modern Hebrew given names taken directly from biblical and everyday Hebrew words. This pattern spread with the revival of Hebrew as a spoken language from the late nineteenth century onward, when parents in the Jewish communities of Palestine and later Israel began choosing vocabulary names alongside traditional religious ones. Because the Hebrew word tal has no grammatical gender, the name is used for both boys and girls in Israel.
Through Israeli and Jewish diaspora communities the name has also come into use in English-speaking countries. It is separate in origin from the German and Yiddish word Tal (older spelling Thal), meaning "valley," which appears in surnames and place names such as Wuppertal; the resemblance between the two is coincidental.
How Popular is the Name Tal?
Tal recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1963. Its best rank was #816 in 1963.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #17,009 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2019 | #17,691 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2018 | #13,651 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2012 | #16,636 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2011 | #19,297 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2010 | #14,787 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2009 | #17,065 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2008 | #10,017 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2007 | #17,403 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2006 | #11,331 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2005 | #8,820 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2004 | #14,030 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2003 | #7,954 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2002 | #5,649 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 2001 | #7,284 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2000 | #8,488 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1999 | #5,636 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1998 | #7,488 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1997 | #5,842 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1996 | #6,694 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1995 | #9,463 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1994 | #5,001 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1993 | #5,182 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1992 | #5,246 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1991 | #4,634 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 1990 | #4,677 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 1989 | #4,233 | 23 | 0.0012% |
| 1988 | #5,286 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1987 | #4,645 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1986 | #4,940 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1985 | #6,411 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1984 | #8,073 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1983 | #7,231 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1982 | #7,399 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1981 | #8,055 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1980 | #6,730 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1979 | #7,243 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1978 | #9,597 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1977 | #6,819 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1975 | #6,405 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1974 | #5,308 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1973 | #8,299 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1972 | #6,479 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1971 | #6,555 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1969 | #7,369 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1968 | #6,177 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1967 | #7,719 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1966 | #7,495 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1963 | #5,827 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #7,623 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2024 | #12,137 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2023 | #7,672 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2022 | #6,435 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2021 | #7,514 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2020 | #11,852 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2019 | #10,670 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2018 | #7,552 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2017 | #7,047 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2016 | #7,544 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2015 | #5,715 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2014 | #8,712 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2013 | #8,031 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2012 | #8,782 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2011 | #7,994 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2010 | #7,034 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2009 | #5,770 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2008 | #5,040 | 19 | 0.0009% |
| 2007 | #3,987 | 26 | 0.0013% |
| 2006 | #6,854 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2005 | #4,171 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 2004 | #2,946 | 35 | 0.0018% |
| 2003 | #3,262 | 29 | 0.0015% |
| 2002 | #3,656 | 24 | 0.0012% |
| 2001 | #3,499 | 25 | 0.0013% |
| 2000 | #4,047 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 1999 | #2,854 | 30 | 0.0016% |
| 1998 | #3,178 | 25 | 0.0013% |
| 1997 | #2,893 | 27 | 0.0014% |
| 1996 | #2,824 | 27 | 0.0014% |
| 1995 | #3,825 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1994 | #3,199 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 1993 | #2,499 | 30 | 0.0015% |
| 1992 | #2,591 | 28 | 0.0014% |
| 1991 | #2,287 | 32 | 0.0016% |
| 1990 | #3,294 | 19 | 0.0009% |
| 1989 | #2,200 | 32 | 0.0016% |
| 1988 | #2,759 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 1987 | #2,825 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1986 | #2,151 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 1985 | #3,575 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1984 | #2,521 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1983 | #2,400 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 1982 | #3,089 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1981 | #3,011 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1980 | #2,524 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1979 | #3,151 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1978 | #2,914 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1977 | #3,026 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 1976 | #2,938 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 1975 | #3,058 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1974 | #3,105 | 12 | 0.0008% |
| 1973 | #2,842 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1972 | #3,133 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1971 | #2,457 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1970 | #2,500 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1969 | #2,403 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1968 | #4,097 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1967 | #2,964 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1966 | #1,886 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1965 | #1,482 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 1964 | #1,111 | 48 | 0.0024% |
| 1963 | #816 | 87 | 0.0043% |
| 1962 | #2,487 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1961 | #3,621 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1960 | #2,669 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1959 | #3,579 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1958 | #3,892 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1955 | #4,340 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1954 | #3,782 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1946 | #3,964 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1937 | #3,966 | 5 | 0.0005% |
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.
Explore More Lists with Name Tal
Most Popular Boy Names That Start with T
Unique Short Boy Names That Start with T
How the Name Tal 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.
You find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.
✦ Tal's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Tal's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.