Fun Facts About the Name Tempest
- More than 1 thousand babies named Tempest: U.S. records list 1,322 babies given the name Tempest from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Tempest Mean?
Tempest is an English vocabulary name meaning "storm." It is taken directly from the common noun, not translated or shortened from another personal name. The noun entered Middle English as tempeste, borrowed from Old French tempeste, which comes from Latin tempestas, meaning "storm, weather, season." Latin tempestas derives from tempus ("time"), so its earliest sense was bound up with a period or season of weather; English narrowed the word toward the idea of a violent storm. The name therefore keeps the literal English meaning of the word rather than a later poetic or symbolic reading of it.
Tempest Name History & Origins
The word has been present in English since the Middle English period as the ordinary noun for a storm, and it also appears as an English surname. As a given name it is uncommon and belongs mainly to modern English-speaking use, where it is drawn from the vocabulary word rather than inherited through a traditional name lineage. The same Latin root produced Italian tempesta, Spanish tempestad, and French tempête, but those forms are the ordinary words for a storm in their languages and are not the source of the English given name.
The name's most familiar literary association is the title of William Shakespeare's play The Tempest, written in the early 17th century. No character in the play is named Tempest; the title refers to the storm that opens the action. That title use is distinct from the word's history and from its later use as a personal name, since the noun was already long established in English before the play.
How Popular is the Name Tempest?
Tempest 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 1990. Its best rank was #1,566 in 1990.
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 | #7,103 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 2024 | #8,876 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2023 | #6,895 | 17 | 0.0011% |
| 2022 | #9,610 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 2021 | #6,390 | 19 | 0.0012% |
| 2020 | #7,917 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 2019 | #5,027 | 27 | 0.0016% |
| 2018 | #5,984 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 2017 | #7,412 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2016 | #5,592 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 2015 | #6,701 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2014 | #5,300 | 26 | 0.0015% |
| 2013 | #8,525 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2012 | #6,090 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 2011 | #5,919 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 2010 | #6,607 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2009 | #5,878 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 2008 | #8,926 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2007 | #8,478 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2006 | #6,335 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 2005 | #8,834 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2004 | #7,799 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2003 | #4,522 | 29 | 0.0016% |
| 2002 | #5,433 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 2001 | #5,353 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 2000 | #8,498 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1999 | #5,411 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1998 | #3,823 | 31 | 0.0018% |
| 1997 | #4,805 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 1996 | #3,297 | 36 | 0.0021% |
| 1995 | #3,078 | 38 | 0.0022% |
| 1994 | #4,677 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 1993 | #3,764 | 29 | 0.0016% |
| 1992 | #2,484 | 52 | 0.0028% |
| 1991 | #2,385 | 54 | 0.0029% |
| 1990 | #1,566 | 98 | 0.0052% |
| 1989 | #1,908 | 69 | 0.0037% |
| 1988 | #2,412 | 46 | 0.0026% |
| 1987 | #1,745 | 69 | 0.0040% |
| 1986 | #2,465 | 41 | 0.0024% |
| 1985 | #2,436 | 41 | 0.0024% |
| 1984 | #8,089 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1983 | #11,916 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1981 | #9,009 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1979 | #11,813 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1977 | #9,540 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1973 | #8,329 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1971 | #9,503 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1970 | #7,912 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1969 | #5,929 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1967 | #7,746 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1966 | #3,933 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1964 | #4,973 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1963 | #3,450 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1962 | #4,239 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1961 | #5,264 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1960 | #5,132 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1959 | #7,117 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1957 | #6,021 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1944 | #4,520 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1930 | #5,175 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1924 | #5,807 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1921 | #5,776 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1919 | #5,476 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1915 | #4,883 | 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.
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How the Name Tempest 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 have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
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.
✦ Tempest's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Tempest's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.