The custom of giving names to tea blends began around the end of the Muromachi period (circa mid-16th century), with the master tea manufacturers (chashi) in the highly reputed tea-growing district of Uji south of Kyoto.
The tea name as a rule is chosen and bestowed by the school's grand master, or iemoto, and is recorded on a certificate.
They may incorporate the names of animals (crane, for example), trees or flowers, natural phenomena (seasons, wind, the moon), or personal characteristics ("quiet," "peaceful"), or may be based on Buddhist teachings.
Historically, the convention for chamei has been to begin with the character 宗, pronounced "sō".
In the Garo language of the Garo hill-tribes of Northeast India, the word "Chamei" or "Chame" means beloved or loved one and is pronounced as "chaa-may".