Theo
Theo is a given name and a hypocorism.
Meaning & Origin of Theo
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Theo is a given name and a hypocorism.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Theo
As a girl name
Theo first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1880, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1924, when 111 Theos were born — ranking #705 that year. As of 2026, Theo ranks #4,525 for girls with 31 births, rising sharply (+22% over the past five years). In total, more than 4K Theos have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Theo first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1880, with 9 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 4,748 Theos were born — ranking #74 that year. As of 2026, Theo ranks #74 for boys with 4,748 births, rising sharply (+117% over the past five years). In total, more than 41K Theos have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Theo
Phonetically similar names — useful when Theo 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 Theo
What does the name Theo mean?
How popular is Theo in 2026?
When was Theo most popular?
In which U.S. states is Theo most popular?
Is Theo a unisex name?
What names go well with Theo?
About the name Theo
Theo is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 41K births in the dataset. Theo's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #74. Use the chart and map above to compare Theo'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 →
- 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.