Rising since 2000, #4 for boys today.
Popularity of Theodore since 1880
Babies named Theodore per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 2,176 |
| 1890s | 2,300 |
| 1900s | 6,490 |
| 1910s | 21,106 |
| 1920s | 31,287 |
| 1930s | 24,957 |
| 1940s | 26,249 |
| 1950s | 29,050 |
| 1960s | 21,288 |
| 1970s | 13,567 |
| 1980s | 11,958 |
| 1990s | 10,113 |
| 2000s | 10,556 |
| 2010s | 40,530 |
| 2020s | 65,579 |
Meaning & origin
Greek by birth and presidential by association, Theodore is having the strongest run in its recorded history. The name of early-church saints and of the trust-busting 26th president spent the middle of the twentieth century sounding like a great-uncle; the revival that began around 2000 has now carried it to No. 4 nationally as of 2025, its all-time peak, with roughly one of every 128 newborn boys receiving it.
Much of the momentum belongs to its nicknames. Theo supplies the fashionable, European-sounding short form while Teddy delivers pure warmth, and the formal name underneath anchors both with three stately syllables. Geographically Theodore runs strongest in Vermont, Wyoming, and New Hampshire, its firmest ground is northern New England, and it travels in the same social circles as Henry, Oliver, and Arthur, the gentleman-scholar revival names of the 2020s. Sisters named Eleanor or Josephine complete the set.
Theodoros, theos "god" plus doron "gift", was common among early Christians, borne by dozens of saints including the soldier-saint Theodore of Amasea and Theodore of Tarsus, the seventh-century Greek who became Archbishop of Canterbury and organized the early English church. The name thrived in the Christian East (Russian Fyodor, Bulgarian Todor) while remaining modest in England until the nineteenth century. In America, Theodore Roosevelt made it presidential at the turn of the twentieth century; after a long mid-century slide it began climbing again around 2000, pulled upward by the fashionable nicknames Theo and Teddy, and has now reached the highest position in its recorded history.
Read more: Theodore on Wikipedia
Where Theodore is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Theodore” around the world
Where Theodore lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
235
babies in 2024
Ireland
#44
in 2025
New Zealand
#5
in 2025
Quebec
#11
in 2025
Australia (NSW)
#3
in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · CSO Ireland (Ireland) · NZ Dept of Internal Affairs (New Zealand) · Retraite Québec (Quebec) · NSW Registry of BDM (Australia (NSW)).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Theo, Ted, Teddy
Variants: Theodor, Théodore, Teodoro, Teodor, Fyodor, Theodora
Famous people named Theodore
- Theodore Roosevelt · 26th president of the United States
- Theodore Dreiser · American novelist
- Theodore Roethke · Pulitzer Prize–winning poet
Sibling names for Theodore
Names that share Theodore's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Eleanor, Josephine, Alice, Violet, Clara, Adeline, Amelia, Charlotte, Eloise, Evelyn, Lillian, Lucy, Nora, Penelope, Adelaide, Anastasia, Cecelia, Celeste, Dorothea, Eliza, Elsie, Emilie, Eugenia, Geneva, Genevieve, Imogene, Jacqueline, Juliette, Lucille, Mabel, Madeline, Mae, Margo, Maxine, Priscilla, Rosalie, Rose, Rosemary, Vivienne, Adaline, Adelia, Alethea, Althea, Alyce, Angeline, Annabel, Annabella, Annalise, Annastasia, Aurelia, Calliope, Callista, Cecily, Celestine, Charline, Clarice, Clementina, Cordelia, Corine, Corinne, Delina, Demetra, Demetria, Earnestine, Easter, Edie, Eleanora, Eleni, Emmeline, Estella, Estelle, Evalyn, Evangeline, Evelina, Evelynn, Felicitas, Felicity, Juliet, Kalliope, Lavinia, Lenora, Letitia, Loralei, Lorelai, Lorelei, Lottie, Margot, Marguerite, Mathilda, Matilda, Mirabelle, Novella, Ophelia, Philomena, Rosalind, Roselyn, Teressa, Theodora, Thomasina, Waverly, Willa, Winslow, Adalia, Albertina, Alexius, Alise, Angelene, Arabelle, Arianne, Augustina, Aveline, Beatrix, Charlena, Charlette, Charolette, Clarabelle, Coralee, Coralie, Corrinne, Cozette, Delphia, Elanor, Elease, Elenor, Elenore, Elizebeth, Elliette, Elvina, Emeline, Emelyn, Eulalia, Evalina, Evelena, Evelyne, Evelynne, Gardenia, Glinda, Hermione, Isadora, Jenevieve, Julietta, Lavender, Leanora, Leonore, Lilla, Lillia, Lilyan, Madalene, Madaline, Madelene, Madelon, Madlyn, Madolyn, Marguerita, Maribelle, Marinda, Mathilde, Odette, Olevia, Rosaline, Rosamond, Roselee, Roseline, Rosena, Seraphina, Sophronia, Tallulah, Teodora, Theadora, Verity, Adalaide, Adalena, Addeline, Adeleine, Adelena, Adelin, Airabella, Aldora, Aleesia, Alexanderia, Alydia, Amarilis, Anelise, Annaleise, Annelyse, Annora, Arcadia, Armelia, Arnetha, Astoria, Audery, Aurianna, Avarose, Carolena, Cecila, Charlott, Charlotta, Clairissa, Clarise, Clarrissa, Clorissa, Corabelle, Coralynn, Coretha, Daisie, Daphene, Daphnee, Daphnie, Demitra, Demitria, Devera, Diantha, Dorathea, Dorethea, Edmonia, Eleonor, Eleora, Ellarose, Elloise, Ellouise, Emelina, Emiline, Eudelia, Eufemia, Eulalie, Ezabella, Fidelia, Genavieve, Genetta, Genieve, Gwendelyn, Ivalee, Janeva, Jenavieve, Jennavieve, Jessamine, Jessamyn, Josiephine, Kallista, Ladora, Laurell, Ledora, Letecia, Lethia, Loralie, Lorelie, Madalynne, Madeliene, Madelina, Margrette, Marquerite, Marybell, Maryetta, Michalene, Neomia, Nolia, Odilia, Orelia, Otelia, Ottilie, Pennelope, Primrose, Princella, Priscillia, Robena, Robertha, Rosabella, Rosebud, Roselind, Rosiland, Sapphira, Scarleth, Sedonia, Seraphine, Teretha, Theora, Toria, Vanellope, Victorine, Violett, Viviane, Wendolyn, Zenovia, Adabelle, Adahlia, Adaliz, Adelai, Adelise, Adilenne, Adraine, Aeliana, Aerabella, Albertia, Aletheia, Alexandrina, Alexina, Alixandra, Allis, Almena, Ambriel, Amiliana, Analena, Angeleen, Annalese, Annalisse, Annalysia, Antonya, Anysia, Arabell, Arelia, Artesia, Aspasia, Athalie, Auriella, Bellamie, Bellarose, Castella, Ceceilia, Cecilee, Celest, Charolett, Clarrisa, Claryce, Cristabel, Cynthea, Edeline, Elanore, Eleonore, Eliannah, Ellenora, Ellowyn, Elmire, Elnoria, Emmalene, Emmalise, Ernesteen, Eutha, Evangela, Evellyn, Evely, Evelyna, Everlina, Everline, Evoleth, Florabelle, Florette, Genecis, Geneieve, Geneveive, Georgana, Gertude, Gwendolyne, Haidee, Helayna, Imogean, Ionia, Jenavie, Jeneva, Josaphine, Juline, Laurabelle, Lauryl, Leafy, Leathia, Lenor, Lilas, Lilieth, Lillien, Linnaea, Lorilei, Lucianne, Lucielle, Lucillie, Madelena, Madline, Maebel, Magdalynn, Magdelena, Margueritte, Omelia, Othelia, Persephanie, Prudie, Rosabell, Rosalena, Roselie, Roselin, Roselinda, Rovena, Saraphina, Sedalia, Seretha, Sybella, Sylvanna, Tabbitha, Tecora, Telitha, Theodosia, Theona, Valaria, Veronia, Victoriana, Wilhemenia, Willadene, Zellie, Adlene, Analese, Arabel, Arabela, Carmeline, Elliet, Evalie, Evangaline, Isabele, Lilibet, Marabella, Norielle, Adaleen, Adaleena, Adamarie, Adeliz, Adoria, Agusta, Alencia, Alithia, Amabel, Amadea, Amarise, Amilliana, Amoreena, Analysse, Anastassia, Anatasia, Annalyce, Annalysse, Arielly, Arrabella, Athalee, Athenia, Austina, Cateleya, Ceciley, Chrisoula, Cicilia, Cordella, Demetress, Eirene, Elinora, Elisabella, Ellanore, Ellenie, Elloree, Elvenia, Emilene, Emmelina, Emmogene, Erabella, Euretha, Eurydice, Evalette, Evangelyne, Evanora, Evarose, Evelean, Evella, Evoleht, Evolett, Ezmerelda, Genavie, Genevra, Georga, Georgenia, Gerardine, Grettell, Hillarie, Idalie, Isobelle, Kattaleia, Laetitia, Laurelin, Letetia, Lilias, Lilliane, Lilliauna, Lilliona, Lillionna, Lillyrose, Lilybelle, Lilygrace, Lucendia, Lucillia, Lylith, Mabeline, Madalen, Maeryn, Marguerette, Michaline, Mirajane, Parthena, Penelopi, Quentina, Renesmay, Rosaleah, Rosealie, Roselynne, Rosmary, Santoria, Sarabella, Secily, Sephira, Stellarose, Thedora, Timothea, Verginia, Vyctoria, Vyolet
Brothers: Henry, Oliver, Arthur, August, Felix, Alexander, Charles, Everett, Arnold, Carl, Dorian, Elliot, Elliott, Franklin, Homer, Aloysius, Antony, Arlo, Atticus, Augustine, Basil, Clement, Cornelius, Demetri, Demetrious, Demetrius, Eliot, Emile, Everette, Gustave, Kingsley, Leon, Leonidas, Matthias, Maximilian, Maximillian, Napoleon, Nestor, Perseus, Quinten, Roosevelt, Winfield, Woodrow, Adolphus, Alexandros, Augustin, Cornelious, Dashiell, Demetrios, Demetris, Draco, Hosie, Julious, Mortimer, Ottis, Phineas, Raynard, Roderic, Rosevelt, Roswell, Theophilus, Vasilios, Agustus, Ajax, Ariston, Cleotha, Demetre, Emerick, Freddrick, Henrry, Jeromey, Maxamillion, Maximillion, Myer, Octave, Olliver, Orman, Quenten, Sebastain, Sebastion, Sevastian, Theotis, Alfonzia, Alyxander, Antonious, Aristides, Attikus, Casmir, Cebastian, Corneilus, Corydon, Demetrie, Euclid, Gustavus, Huber, Kyrillos, Mathius, Maxmillian, Napolean, Nikolos, Peregrine, Philander, Plato, Roosvelt, Thelmer, Theophil, Theopolis, Timothee, Vasilis, Zebastian, Anothy, Demetrias, Herberth, Maxamillian, Philopater, Aldous, Aloysuis, Ambers, Athanasius, Augusten, Damascus, Demitris, Dominie, Emmons, Erasmus, Joanthony, Kingsly, Lewin, Lexander, Lister, Maxmilian, Nicholaos, Nickolaos, Sebasthian, Theodoro, Theoplis
Names like Theodore
Names whose popularity has moved with Theodore's over the last 50 years.
