Tameka

Tameka is a feminine given name of modern American coinage. It is a creative variant of Tamika, a name that itself was likely inspired by the American jazz singer Tamiko Jones (born 1945) or the title of the 1963 American film A Girl Named Tamiko. These forms are ultimately derived from the Japanese name Tamiko, which is composed of the Japanese elements 多 (ta) meaning "many," 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful," and 子 (ko) meaning "child." Over time, Tamiko was adapted into African American naming traditions, leading to Tamika and Tameka — a trend driven partly by the popularity of Indian and Japanese names in the African American community during the 1960s and early 1970s.

Notable Bearers

Tameka has been used by several notable women in various fields:

• Tameka Yallop (born 1991), Australian football midfielder who has played for the Matildas.
• Tameka A. Clemons, American biochemist and academic.
• Tameka Cottle (born 1975), American singer-songwriter and member of the group Xscape.
• Tameka Empson (born 1977), British actress and comedian known for her role in EastEnders.
• Tameka Foster (born 1971), American wardrobe stylist.
• Tameka Jameson (born 1989), American-Nigerian Olympic sprinter.
• Tameka Norris (born 1979), American multidisciplinary artist.
• Tameka Williams (born 1989), former sprinter from Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Related Names

A diminutive form of Tameka is Tammy. In Japanese, the source name is Tamiko.

• Meaning: Variant of Tamika, derived from Japanese Tamiko (“many beautiful child”)
• Origin: American (modern coinage)
• Type: Feminine given name
• Usage: English (primarily United States)