Theodore
Theodore is a masculine given name. It comes from the Ancient Greek name Θεόδωρος (Theódoros), meaning "gift of God". The name was borne by several figures in ancient Greece, such as Theodorus of Samos and Theodorus of Byzantium.
- English
- French
Meaning & Origin of Theodore
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Theodore is a masculine given name. It comes from the Ancient Greek name Θεόδωρος (Theódoros), meaning "gift of God". The name was borne by several figures in ancient Greece, such as Theodorus of Samos and Theodorus of Byzantium.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
- French
The Story of Theodore
Theodore first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 232 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 12,725 Theodores were born — ranking #4 that year. As of 2026, Theodore ranks #4 for baby boys with 12,725 births, rising sharply (+50% over the past five years). In total, more than 329K Theodores have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Theodore
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Theodore. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Where is Theodore most common?
Predicted country distribution based on naming patterns globally.
- United States24%
- CM24%
- MU21%
- HT18%
- TT13%
Source: Nationalize.io . Probabilities are global naming-pattern estimates, not strict counts.
Names that sound like Theodore
Phonetically similar names — useful when Theodore is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Theodore
What does the name Theodore mean?
What is the origin of the name Theodore?
How popular is Theodore in 2026?
When was Theodore most popular?
In which U.S. states is Theodore most popular?
Is Theodore a unisex name?
What names go well with Theodore?
What are nicknames or variants of Theodore?
About the name Theodore
Theodore is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 329K births in the dataset. Theodore's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #4. Use the chart and map above to compare Theodore's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2026 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "T" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.