How to say it
TAN · ner
ˈtæn.ər
Masculine
Tanner
Leather tanner
What it means
An English occupational surname for someone who tans leather.
Tanner is an English occupational surname for a person who tanned hides into leather, from the Old English tannian. It rose as a friendly, all-American first name in the 1980s and 90s, fitting the easygoing -er surname set with Tucker and Parker. Plain-spoken and likable. Said TAN-er.
How to spell Tanner
The standard spelling is Tanner. Common variants include Taner, Tannor, but Tanner is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #82 in 1997, currently #475 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Spelling
An occupational surname, 'one who tans leather.'
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Henry Ossawa Tanner American painter and the first African American artist to gain international acclaim, whose surname anchors the given name
Spelling variants
- Taner
- Tannor
Names with the same feeling
See Tanner from another angle
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Tanner mean?
- An English occupational surname for someone who tans leather.
- What does Tanner mean in English?
- In English, Tanner means "Leather tanner." Tanner is an English occupational surname for a person who tanned hides into leather, from the Old English tannian. It rose as a friendly, all-American first name in the 1980s and 90s, fitting the easygoing -er surname set with Tucker and Parker. Plain-spoken and likable. Said TAN-er.
- How do you pronounce Tanner?
- Tanner is pronounced ˈtæn.ər. Say it as TAN-ner, with the stress on the "tan" syllable.
- How do you spell Tanner?
- The standard spelling is Tanner. Common spelling variants include Taner, Tannor.
- Is Tanner a boy or girl name?
- Tanner is traditionally a masculine name.
- How popular is the name Tanner?
- Tanner ranked #475 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.