The Brittonic dialect known as Cumbric was formerly spoken in the area.

According to A. M. Armstrong, et al., the first element, tal, means "brow" or "end" in Brittonic and modern Welsh, Cornish, and Breton.

It may come from the Brittonic word which appears in Welsh and Old Cornish as can ("white") and Breton as kann ("bland, brilliant").

Talkin may be a hill-name meaning "white brow".

[2] Media related to Talkin at Wikimedia Commons