Tama is a Māori masculine name meaning "son, boy" in the Māori language. It reflects a cultural tradition of naming children after positive attributes or familial roles, directly linking a child's name to their identity as a son or a young boy.The name Tama is closely related to other terms in the Māori vocabulary and shares its root with Iti (meaning "small") and Tamati (a Māori form of Thomas). Additionally, it appears in Teina (meaning "younger sibling"), which is part of the extended Tama chain. While Tama itself is a simple, standalone name, it may appear as a component in compound names or as a descriptor.Not all sources agree; Wiktionary alone suggests the Māori etymology is incomplete or possibly unrelated, but the widely accepted usage within New Zealand and the Polynesian context confirms Tama as a genuine given name meaning "son." In other contexts, "Tama" appears as a taxonomic genus name for spiders (family Hersiliidae), but this is a scientific term rather than a personal name.Though not abundantly documented in international databases, Tama is attested in Māori-speaking communities and sometimes associated with broader Polynesian name traditions. Historical bearers include individuals active in Māori cultural revival and modern New Zealand society.Meaning: Son, boyOrigin: MāoriType: First name (masculine)Usage regions: New Zealand (Māori communities) and Polynesia