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Surname Etymology and Meaning of RAM

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Name meanings and etymologies are often disputed. The information here is compiled from freely available sources, and no claims whatsoever are made for accuracy, either historical or etymological.

1. Indian (northern and southern states): Hindu name from Sanskrit rama ‘pleasing’, ‘charming’, name of an incarnation of Vishnu. In the northern states, it probably evolved into a family name from use as the final element of a compound personal names such as Atmaram (with Sanskrit atma ‘soul’) or Sitaram (with Sita, the name of Rama’s wife). In South India it is used only as a male given name, but has come to be used as a family name in the U.S. among people from South India. Among Tamil and Malayalam speakers who have migrated from their home states, it is a variant of Raman.
2. Dutch and English: from Middle Low German ram, Middle English ram ‘ram’, either in the sense ‘male sheep’ or in the sense ‘battering ram’ or ‘pile driver’.
3. Swedish: ornamental name from a place name element, either from Old Norse hrafn ‘raven’ (Swedish ramm) or from dialect ramm ‘water meadow’.
4. Jewish (Israeli): ornamental name from Hebrew ram ‘lofty’.
5. Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): acronymic name of uncertain etymology.
6. Southern French: topographic name meaning ‘branch’ and denoting someone who lived in a leafy wooded area.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names (2003)