Teddy
Teddy is an English language given name, usually a hypocorism of Edward or Theodore or Theodora. It may refer to:
Meaning & Origin of Teddy
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Teddy is an English language given name, usually a hypocorism of Edward or Theodore or Theodora. It may refer to:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Teddy
As a girl name
Teddy first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1905, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2023, when 62 Teddys were born — ranking #2,754 that year. As of 2026, Teddy ranks #2,929 for girls with 57 births, rising sharply (+113% over the past five years). In total, more than 2K Teddys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1900s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Teddy first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1890, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1949, when 613 Teddys were born — ranking #264 that year. As of 2026, Teddy ranks #852 for boys with 287 births, rising sharply (+103% over the past five years). In total, more than 34K Teddys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1890s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Teddy
Phonetically similar names — useful when Teddy 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 Teddy
What does the name Teddy mean?
How popular is Teddy in 2026?
When was Teddy most popular?
In which U.S. states is Teddy most popular?
Is Teddy a unisex name?
What names go well with Teddy?
About the name Teddy
Teddy is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1890 and has accumulated 34K births in the dataset. Teddy's peak popularity came in 1949 when it ranked #239. Use the chart and map above to compare Teddy's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1949 →
- Names of the 1940s →
- Names starting with "T" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.