Gender: Masculine
Origin: Biblical/Hebrew
Meaning: “hot.”
The name is born in the Old Testament by one of the 3 sons of Noah. Noah cursed Ham after Ham had seen Noah naked while drunk. He is said to be the forefather of the Egyptians and Canaanites.
Other forms include: (NOTE: all these forms exists, but are scarcely used in their home countries)
- Cham حام (Arabic)
- Cam (Catalan/Italian/Portuguese/Spanish)
- Chám (Czech)
- Cham (Dutch/Polish)
- Ham (English/French/German)
- Haam (Estonian/Finnish)
- Ham חָם (Hebrew: Modern)
- Kám (Hungarian)
- Chamas (Lithuanian)
- Kam (Norwegian)
- Xham (Walon)
I knew a bartender named Ham. I went months assuming it was a nickname or maybe short form of something like Hamilton. But no – he was just plain Ham. I wish I'd thought to ask him the story behind his name. It suited him. But I guess I now associate Ham with bartenders … hasn't hurt Sam any, of course.
That's interesting. I am surprised someone out there has actually used it. I find it a bit too similar to ham as in pork.