Theodore
THEE-uh-dor /ˈθiː.ə.dɔːr/
Meaning of Theodore
Theodore comes from the Ancient Greek Theodoros: theos ('god') + doron ('gift'). It is exactly parallel in meaning to Hebrew Matthew (Matthew/Mateo) and Slavic Bogdan — all three mean 'gift of God' in their respective languages. The English use was steady but minor through the 20th century; it has risen sharply since 2010 driven partly by the popularity of the nickname Theo.
Current popularity of Theodore
Rankings from the most recent fully-published year in each national registry. Source links at the foot of the page.
| Registry | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| United States (SSA) | 2024 | #13 |
| United Kingdom (ONS) | 2024 | #7 |
Notable bearers of Theodore
Theodore Roosevelt; Theodore Adorno; Saint Theodore of Tarsus.
Similar names & variants
Cognates, spelling variants and close relatives. Click any name with an underline to read its own page.
Sibling-name suggestions
Names that pair stylistically with Theodore — useful as middle names or for siblings.
About this entry
Compiled by the Baby Name Finder editorial team following the rules in our Methodology and Editorial guidelines. If you spot an error, please tell us; our corrections policy is at /editorial-guidelines#corrections.
Sources
Last reviewed: 2026-05-31