Theodore
Theodore was the 4th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 13,355 babies. That is its highest rank since records began in 1880. Over the last ten years it has moved up 95 places. More babies were named Theodore in the 2020s than in any other decade.
Meaning gift of God · Ancient Greek
Say it THEE-uh-dor /ˈθiədɔr/
- Rank in 2025
- #4 boys, up 19 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 13,355boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 202513,355 babies
- Total since 1880
- 318,175babies recorded
What does the name Theodore mean?
Theodore comes, through Latin Theodorus, from the Greek elements theos, 'god', and dōron, 'gift'. Early saints made it widespread, especially Saint Theodore of Amasea, along with popes and Byzantine emperors. It is unrelated to Theodoric, a Germanic name. DMNES notes the Slavic name Bogdan as a loan translation of it.
θεός (Ancient Greek, “god”)δῶρον (Ancient Greek, “gift”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Other explanations you may read: Related to Theodoric.
See also: Greek names, names that mean God, names that mean gift.
Nicknames for Theodore
The usual nicknames for Theodore are Theo, Teddy and Ted. Some parents skip the long form: for every 100 boys named Theodore in the last five years, 33 were named Theo, against 11 twenty years earlier.
| Nickname | Kind | Rank 2025 | Boys, 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theo · also for Theodora | Traditional | #82 | 18,559 |
| Teddy · also for Edward, Ted | Traditional | #823 | 1,169 |
| Ted · also for Edward, Edmund | Traditional | #3,229 | 203 |
Nicknames reviewed by our editors; counts are boys given the nickname as their legal first name. Nobody records how many Theodores go by each one.
Theodore popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 969 since 1901, 7 in 2025.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #4 | 13,355 |
| 2020 | #23 | 8,638 |
| 2010 | #259 | 1,333 |
| 2000 | #312 | 934 |
| 1990 | #233 | 1,231 |
| 1980 | #206 | 1,194 |
| 1970 | #160 | 1,829 |
| 1960 | #149 | 2,382 |
| 1950 | #99 | 2,960 |
| 1940 | #90 | 2,306 |
| 1930 | #67 | 2,958 |
| 1920 | #63 | 3,219 |
| 1910 | #54 | 692 |
| 1900 | #61 | 429 |
| 1890 | #89 | 190 |
| 1880 | #70 | 232 |
How popular is Theodore, counting every spelling?
Theodore has no other common spelling that sounds the same. Counting every name's spellings together, it ranks #6 for boys in 2025, against #4 on the official list, because Luca/Luka/Lucca and Mateo/Matteo move ahead once their spellings are combined.
How many kids will share the name Theodore?
13,355 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Theodore (3.70 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Theodore born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is about 1 in 15. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, a typical elementary school of 430 pupils would have about 1.6 children named Theodore.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Theodore?
About 199,500 people born in the US named Theodore are alive today, with a median age of 13; half are between 5 and 57. That makes Theodore mostly worn by children and young adults. The wide spread shows a name popular in two different eras.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Theodore by state
How common Theodore was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Vermont (3.5×), New Hampshire (3.0×), Maine (2.8×), District of Columbia (2.7×), Alaska (2.5×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Mississippi, Texas, Alabama.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Theodore: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Theodore, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Theodore · Sibling names for Theodore
Questions about the name Theodore
What does Theodore mean?
Theodore means “gift of God” (Ancient Greek origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Theodore?
Theodore was the 4th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 13,355 babies. That is its highest rank since records began in 1880. Over the last ten years it has moved up 95 places. More babies were named Theodore in the 2020s than in any other decade.
Is Theodore a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Theodore in the US.
Where is Theodore most popular?
In 2021–2025, Theodore was most common in Vermont (22.93 per 1,000 boys), followed by New Hampshire and Maine.