Wednesday, March 30, 2022

The name Tamar comes from the Hebrew תּמר (tāmār), where it is the name of two different women. The first Tamar, mentioned in Genesis 38, had a child with her father-in-law Judah in an act of self-redemption. The second Tamar, mentioned in 2 Samuel 13, was a daughter of David who was seduced and then spurned by her half-brother Amnon. Tamar's brother Absalom killed Amnon and started a rebellion against their father David in retaliation (2 Samuel 13–18). The Hebrew noun תמר (tāmār) means "date fruit, date palm, or date tree," meaning the personal name Tamar likely refers to the beautiful stature of the palm tree, or the sweetness of its fruit. Popular modern variants of this name include Tammy and Tamara.