tamao

Tamao is a Japanese given name that can be used for males and, in some cases, for females depending on the kanji combination chosen by the parents. The pronunciation is ta-ma-o, typically rendered in romaji as Tamao and in kana as たまお. Because there are many possible kanji arrangements, the name’s meaning is not fixed.

In Japanese, tama can be written with characters such as 玉 meaning “jewel” or ball, or other kanji with similar readings. The second element, often read as o, can carry meanings related to masculine suffixes or be part of a phonetic construction. As a result, Tamao can convey a range of subtle meanings determined by the specific kanji used, such as “jewel, male” or other context-dependent interpretations. The exact sense of the name thus depends on its kanji representation rather than a single universal translation.

Tamao is primarily a masculine given name in contemporary Japan, though naming practices and gender associations can vary. It is relatively uncommon in modern times compared to more frequent names, and it can also appear as a rare surname in some cases.

In popular culture and fiction, characters named Tamao appear in various works, reflecting its legitimacy as a plausible Japanese given name. As with many Japanese names, readers may encounter Tamao written with different kanji or in kana, depending on the author or the individual’s preference.

See also: Tama (disambiguation), Japanese given names, Japanese kanji names.