Tempest
Unisex nameLatin
✨ Meaning
Tempest comes through Old French from the Latin 'tempestas,' which meant both a season or period of time and, by extension, the weather that period brought. Only in the harsher sense did it narrow to a violent storm. The name therefore has time hidden inside it, and shares a root with the words temporal and temporary.
🌍 Origin
Tempest is an English surname of long standing, borne by a Yorkshire family recorded from the medieval period. Shakespeare's late play gave the word a permanent literary standing. As a given name it is rare and modern, belonging with Storm and Gale to the small family of weather names, and it is used for both boys and girls.
⭐ Famous People Named Tempest
- Tempest Storm
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does Tempest mean?
Tempest means a violent storm, from the Latin 'tempestas,' which originally meant a season or period of time.
Is Tempest related to the word temporary?
Yes. Both descend from the Latin root for time, which is why the storm sense developed from a word for a season.
Is Tempest a boy's or a girl's name?
It is used for both, though it remains rare in either case.