Telem

Attested in 1 language in the etymology graph.

Telem is also recorded as another name, grouped separately because the records behind them do not connect to the one described above.

• Hebrew surname2 spellings in the group

  Most recorded in Israel, United States, South Africa, Lithuania

  Also written תלם

29 further groups record this spelling and are not listed here.

Grouping is the name graph's, not a register's: two spellings join a group when the evidence links them, so a group is a claim about the records rather than about the people.

Telem is also recorded in 5 other lexicons, as a different name or as an ordinary word. These are senses of the spelling, not of the name above.

• The etymology of Telem is debated. One interpretation, based on an Aramaic root, suggests the meaning "oppression" or "to injure". Another possible Hebrew origin connects it to the word for "furrow".

  as a name·Biblical Names Compiled Database

• Telem's story is part of a larger narrative in the Book of Ezra emphasizing post-exilic covenant renewal, community purity, and the importance of separating from foreign influences to preserve Israel's identity. His inclusion in the list of those who repented highlights that all members of the community, regardless of their role in the Temple, were held accountable to God's law.

  as a name·Biblical Names Compiled Database

• In English, Biblical name

  as a name·Pronouncing Dictionary of Proper Names

• In Hungarian, first-person singular single-possession possessive of tél

  as a word·kaikki.org Wiktionary extract (IPA + transliterations)

• In mqy, sink, go under, disappear by degrees

  as a word·Austronesian Comparative Dictionary (ACD), CLDF v2.0

Ordered by how much of this spelling's record each language holds, so a sense from a language the name is barely used in sits last rather than first.

• Benjamin Telemb. 1928DEIsraeli naval officer
• Idan Telemb. 1999ILIsraeli gamer, YouTuber and actor

The ten people covered by the most Wikipedia language editions — a proxy for cross-cultural notability, which favours historical and Western figures over equally prominent contemporary ones — shown by birth year. Source: Wikidata (CC0).

5 registers and reference works attest this spelling, across 3 countries.

Register rows as of the 2026-10-09 data build.

Where does the name Telem come from?

Telem is a biblical name of Hebrew origin meaning "furrow" or possibly "oppression." He was a temple gatekeeper mentioned in the Old Testament who was part of a significant religious reform movement. Recorded by Biblical Names Compiled Database.

Is Telem a male or female name?

Telem is recorded for both men and women. We don't publish a percentage split: a record's gender belongs to the person and is attached to every given name on that record, so names in cultures where a name string also carries a parent's or spouse's given name pick up large cross-gender counts.

What does the name Telem mean?

Recorded meaning: Telem is a biblical name of Hebrew origin meaning "furrow" or possibly "oppression."

Which countries have the most people named Telem?

Mondonomo estimates about 1.0 thousand people named Telem in India, more than in any other country we hold, where it is most often spelled telem. After it come United States; the country table on this page ranks them.

How common is the name Telem?

Mondonomo estimates about 1,000 people in India have Telem as their first given name, about 1 in 1.4 million residents. No national register counts it there; the figure is ours, calibrated against the registers that do.