How to say it
TATE
teɪt
Masculine
Tate
Cheerful, glad
What it means
Old English Tata or Old Norse Teitr, 'cheerful, glad.' Originally a personal name and surname; the Tate galleries in London (named for sugar magnate Henry Tate) are the institutional anchor.
Tate comes from the Old English Tata or the Old Norse Teitr, both meaning 'cheerful' or 'glad.' Used as a personal name in early medieval England and as a surname later. Sir Henry Tate (1819-1899), the sugar magnate who donated his art collection to the British nation and funded the building that became the Tate Britain gallery, gave the surname its institutional anchor; the Tate galleries (Britain, Modern, Liverpool, St. Ives) are among the most-visited art venues in the world. As a first name Tate is American and modern: rare before 2000, then climbing fast. It's been in the US top 300 since 2014. Single syllable, no shorter form.
How to spell Tate
The standard spelling is Tate. Common variants include Tait, Teyte, but Tate is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #194 in 2025, currently #194 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
- Pop culture
The Tate galleries (Britain, Modern, Liverpool, St. Ives) anchor the surname; Sharon Tate's 1969 Manson Family murder is a darker cultural footprint some Tates carry.
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.
- Sir Henry Tate British sugar magnate, founded the Tate Gallery in 1897
Spelling variants
- Tait
- Teyte
Names with the same feeling
See Tate from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Tate mean?
- Old English Tata or Old Norse Teitr, 'cheerful, glad.' Originally a personal name and surname; the Tate galleries in London (named for sugar magnate Henry Tate) are the institutional anchor.
- What does Tate mean in Old English?
- In Old English, Tate means "Cheerful, glad." Tate comes from the Old English Tata or the Old Norse Teitr, both meaning 'cheerful' or 'glad.' Used as a personal name in early medieval England and as a surname later. Sir Henry Tate (1819-1899), the sugar magnate who donated his art collection to the British nation and funded the building that became the Tate Britain gallery, gave the surname its institutional anchor; the Tate galleries (Britain, Modern, Liverpool, St. Ives) are among the most-visited art venues in the world. As a first name Tate is American and modern: rare before 2000, then climbing fast. It's been in the US top 300 since 2014. Single syllable, no shorter form.
- How do you pronounce Tate?
- Tate is pronounced teɪt. Say it as TATE, with the stress on the "tate" syllable.
- How do you spell Tate?
- The standard spelling is Tate. Common spelling variants include Tait, Teyte.
- Is Tate a boy or girl name?
- Tate is traditionally a masculine name.
- How popular is the name Tate?
- Tate ranked #194 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.