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Decoding the Name Tallulah: What Does It Really Mean?

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Tallulah Overview

  • Meaning: Tallulah means “flowing or leaping water” or “bubbling spring” in Native American Choctaw. It also means “lady of abundance” in Irish.
  • Gender: Tallulah is a girl’s name.
  • Origin: Tallulah derives from Native American Choctaw and Muscogeen languages, as well as Irish.
  • Pronunciation: Tallulah is pronounced “Teh-LOO-laa” in English.
  • Popularity: In 2020, Tallulah ranked among the top 1,200 girls’ names in the U.S. Popularity has increased since 1995 and peaked in 2007. In England and Wales, Tallulah ranked 250th in recent years.
  • Nicknames: La La, Lu, Lucy, Lulah, Lulla, Lulu, Luly, Tal, Tala, Talley, Tally, Tallulah, Tilly, Tula, Tully.
  • Variations: Tallula, Talula, Tallulahh, Talulla, Tallulah.
  • Namesakes: Tallulah Bankhead,American actress. Tallulah Willis, daughter of actors Demi Moore and Bruce Willis.

What Does Tallulah Mean?

Tallulah is based on a Muscogeean Creek name meaning “flowing water” or “bubbling spring,” It means “leaping water” in Native American-Choctaw and “town” in Muskogean-Creek.

Tallulah is also associated with the Irish name Tuilelaith, meaning “lady of abundance.” Tuilelaith is composed of the Gaelic “tuile,” meaning “flood,” and “flaith,” meaning “sovereignty” or “lordship.”

What Is the Origin of the Name Tallulah?

Tallulah is the traditional spelling of a name with Native American-Muscogee Creek origins.

Tallulah is inspired by Tallulah Falls, Georgia, known for its green geography and, specifically, its “leaping water” or waterfalls.

Tallulah is also based on the Irish Tuilelaith, which means “princess of abundance.” Its more direct meanings relate to “flood” and “sovereignty,” although some claim it’s not an Irish name.

It appeared on naming lists in the 1990s, perhaps influenced by the American actress Tallulah Bankhead.

How Popular Is the Name Tallulah?

Tallulah is considered common in the U.S. and ranked 1,134th in the last few years for American girls. More recently, there were 22 U.S. babies named Tallulah per million in 2024. Tallulah peaked in the U.S. in 2007 with 28 babies per million given the name.

Although its popularity has decreased since 2007, it is rising again. The Social Security Administration reports that it has never ranked among the top 1,000 U.S. baby names.

How Do I Pronounce Tallulah?

The girl’s name, Tallulah, is pronounced “Teh-LOO-laa” in English.

Is Tallulah a Boy or Girl Name?

Like Tallulah and Talula, Tallulah is predominantly a girl’s name.

Variations of Tallulah

Here are the spelling variations for the beautiful girl’s name, Tallulah.

  • Tallula (Irish)
  • Tallulah (Native American)
  • Talula (English)
  • Talulah (English)
  • Talulla (Irish)

Nicknames for Tallulah

Find some unique nicknames for Tallulah that are as adorable as the original.

  • La La
  • Lu
  • Lucy
  • Lulah
  • Lulla
  • Lulu
  • Luly
  • Tal
  • Tala
  • Talley
  • Tallulah
  • Tally
  • Tilly
  • Tula
  • Tully

Similar Names to Tallulah

These cool names can stand in when you want a Tallulah-like name for your little one.

Middle Names for Tallulah

These middle names complement the beauty of Tallulah wonderfully.

Sibling Names for Tallulah

For Tallulah, a brother or sister means there are plenty of fine names to choose from.

Famous People Named Tallulah

See who’s named Tallulah in the world of celebrities.

  • Tallulah: German-English DJ.
  • Tallulah Greive: Scottish actress.
  • Tallulah Haddon: English actress and model.
  • Tallulah Harlech: English fashion stylist.
  • Tallulah Morgan: Main plaintiff in Morgan v. Hennigan.
  • Tallulah Morton: Australian fashion model.
  • Talulah Riley: English actress.

Tallulah in Popular Culture

Tallulah’s use in pop culture includes some of the following examples.

  • Cousin Tallulah: Character from Disney’s “Meet the Robinsons.”
  • Tallulah: Character appearing in the TV series “Tickety Toc.”
  • Tallulah: Character in the children’s book “Maisy.”
  • Tallulah: Character in two “Doctor Who” episodes.
  • Tallulah: Kathleen Turner’s one-woman show about Tallulah Bankhead.
  • Tallulah: Singer in the film “Bugsy Malone.”
  • Tallulah: Song title by Allo Darlin’s 2012 album Europe.
  • Tallulah: Song title by Patrick Hernandez.
  • Tallulah: Song title from a 2011 album by Company of Thieves.
  • Tallulah: Song title from the 2001 Sonata Arctica album Silence.
  • Tallulah: Title of a 1987 album by the band Go-Betweens.
  • Tallulah: Title of a 2016 film.
  • Tallulah: Title of a 2019 album by Feeder.

Tallulah FAQs

Find out more about what makes Tallulah a fascinating name.

Where Does the Name Tallulah Come From?

Tallulah is one of many spellings used for the Native American or Irish Talulla. It’s based on the Muscogeean Creek Tallulah, meaning “leaping water” in the Choctaw language and “town” in the Muskogean-Creek language. Georgia’s Tallulah Falls was pretty enough to inspire this name, as did actress Tallulah Bankhead.

How Rare Is the Name Tallulah?

Tallulah has been somewhat rare over the years, though it has slowly increased in popularity since the 1990s. Some sources list Tallulah as ranking 99th among girls in the U.S. in 2024, so it’s not going anywhere just yet. Tallulah also ranked 249th in England in 2021, so it’s also mildly popular there.

Is Tallulah an Irish Name?

In addition to being a spelling variation of the Native American Tallulah, it’s also considered Irish. Tallulah is thought of as a short version of the Irish Tuilelaith. The more extended variation is made up of the Gaelic “tuile,” meaning “flood,” and “flaith,’ meaning “sovereignty,” “nobility,” or “lordship.”

As an Irish female name, Tallulah usually means “princess of abundance.” The original Tuilelaith was the name of a few Irish saints from the 8th and 9th centuries.

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About the Author

Maryana Vestic

Maryana Vestic is a Brooklyn-based writer, editor, and food photographer with a background in entertainment Business Affairs. She studied film at NYU, Irish Theatre Studies at Trinity College Dublin, and has an MFA in Creative Writing Nonfiction from The New School. She loves cooking, baking, hiking, and horror films, as well as running a local baking business in Brooklyn with her boyfriend.