Save Type Surname (from nickname) Usage French Pronounced Pron. /bɒn.ˈtɑm/, /bɔ̃.ˈtɑ̃/ [key·simplify] Other Forms FormsBotems Meaning & History Derived from Old French bon temps meaning "good time". One popular bearer of the name is the American poet and novelist Arna Wendell Bontemps (1902-1973).