Theodore
Say it: THEE-uh-dor
BoyMeans gift of God8 letters3 syllables
#44
in Ireland (2025)
#45 with spellings combined
115
babies in 2025
#45
best rank (2025)
1,003
babies since 1964
Up 119
10-year rank change
Theodore through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 115 | #45 |
| 2024 | 102 | #59 |
| 2023 | 94 | #69 |
| 2022 | 114 | #59 |
| 2021 | 96 | #74 |
| 2020 | 100 | #68 |
| 2019 | 92 | #76 |
| 2018 | 70 | #94 |
| 2017 | 38 | #156 |
| 2016 | 27 | #209 |
| 2015 | 38 | #164 |
| 2014 | 25 | #226 |
| 2013 | 16 | #282 |
| 2012 | 14 | #310 |
| 2011 | 11 | #366 |
| 2010 | 3 | #720 |
| 2009 | 5 | #532 |
| 2008 | 4 | #601 |
| 2007 | 7 | #404 |
| 2006 | 7 | #355 |
| 2004 | 4 | #440 |
| 2003 | 4 | #423 |
| 2002 | 3 | #451 |
| 1998 | 3 | #369 |
| 1992 | 4 | #298 |
| 1988 | 3 | #319 |
| 1964 | 4 | #214 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Theodore mean?
Gift of God
Greek, from Theodoros, made from theos (god) and doron (gift).
Say it right
THEEuhdor
The story of Theodore
Theodore comes from the Greek Theodoros, meaning “gift of God”. It was already a name in ancient Greece, and in Christian times it spread through the fame of Saint Theodore of Amasea. Popes and emperors bore it too. Its feminine form is Theodora. Despite the look, it is not related to Theodoric.
Its usual short forms are Theo, Ted and Teddy. Theo and Teddy are now popular names in their own right, and the CSO counts them separately.
In Ireland Theodore was rare for most of the CSO records, given to a few boys in scattered years. It began to climb around 2011 and had its best year so far in 2025, with 115 boys and number 44 on the CSO list. It is a little more popular in Northern Ireland, where it reached 32nd in 2024.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Theodore (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Theodore (given name)
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, Baby Names in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Nicknames
TheoTedTeddy
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Theodore | 115 | 1,003 |
In Northern Ireland
#40 in 2025 with 49 babies. Best rank #32 (2024); 445 babies since 2001.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.