Theo
Say it: THEE-oh
BoyMeans usually short for Theodore, "gift of God"4 letters2 syllables
#21
in Ireland (2025)
195
babies in 2025
#14
best rank (2024)
2,114
babies since 1988
Up 96
10-year rank change
Theo through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 195 | #21 |
| 2024 | 252 | #14 |
| 2023 | 242 | #15 |
| 2022 | 236 | #20 |
| 2021 | 210 | #24 |
| 2020 | 162 | #34 |
| 2019 | 146 | #47 |
| 2018 | 109 | #62 |
| 2017 | 97 | #73 |
| 2016 | 64 | #106 |
| 2015 | 59 | #117 |
| 2014 | 56 | #123 |
| 2013 | 42 | #152 |
| 2012 | 38 | #176 |
| 2011 | 32 | #196 |
| 2010 | 29 | #201 |
| 2009 | 31 | #185 |
| 2008 | 23 | #225 |
| 2007 | 21 | #220 |
| 2006 | 12 | #271 |
| 2005 | 8 | #302 |
| 2004 | 8 | #299 |
| 2003 | 9 | #275 |
| 2002 | 6 | #313 |
| 2001 | 6 | #297 |
| 2000 | 4 | #347 |
| 1999 | 4 | #330 |
| 1997 | 5 | #303 |
| 1996 | 5 | #295 |
| 1988 | 3 | #319 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0. Spellings with and without fadas are combined; the CSO only recorded fadas from 2018.
★ What does Theo mean?
Usually short for Theodore, "gift of God"
Short form of Theodore, from Greek words for god and gift; sometimes of Theobald or Theodora.
Say it right
THEEoh
The French spelling Théo is said tay-OH.
The story of Theo
Theo is usually a short form of Theodore, which goes back through Latin to the Greek Theodoros, made from the words for “god” and “gift”. It can also be short for rarer names such as Theophilus, and now and then for the girls’ name Theodora. Not every Theo- name is Greek, though: Theobald comes from an old Germanic word for “people”.
Today Theo is mostly given as a name in its own right rather than as a nickname.
Theo first appears in the CSO records in 1988, and it stayed rare until the late 2000s. It climbed steadily through the 2010s and reached number 14 in 2024, its best rank, with 252 boys. In 2025 it was number 21. It has done even better in Northern Ireland, where it reached 4th place in 2022. The CSO counts Theo and Théo separately; these figures combine them.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Theo (English proper noun)
- Wiktionary: Theodore (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Theo
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, Baby Names in Northern Ireland, full name list 1997-2025
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Theo | 189 | 2,081 |
| Théo | 6 | 33 |
In Northern Ireland
#7 in 2025 with 106 babies. Best rank #4 (2022); 1,309 babies since 2001.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.