Theodore
The story
Theodore comes from the Greek Theodoros, gift of god, the same two roots that appear in reverse order in Dorothea. It was common in classical Greece, traveled through Christian history with soldiers, monks, bishops, and popes, and reached Russia as Fyodor. In the United States, Theodore Roosevelt made the name presidential and Teddy made it approachable. The curve is a near-perfect revival story. Theodore begins strong in the 1890s and early 1900s, fades for most of the middle twentieth century, nearly disappears from the chart's center, and then turns upward after 2000. The 2010s restore it, and the 2020s carry it higher still. Parents did not invent a vintage feeling for Theodore; they rediscovered one. The full name has ceremony, Theo feels contemporary, and Teddy still brings the old president's warmth.
Popularity, 1890–2024
Shape drawn from US Social Security baby-name records. Theodore peaked in the 2020s.
See popularity in Brazil
Popularity in Brazil
95 people · the #42,809 first name in Brazil · median age 5
The census also counted 43 born between 2020 and August 2022, too recent a span to chart.
Source: IBGE, Censo Demográfico 2022
When you meet Theodore
People given the name Theodore in the United States span the generations: the middle half were born anywhere from 1960 to 2025. Age is the one thing the name won't tell you.
Estimated from US Social Security birth registrations and typical lifespans; a rough guide, not a rule.
The Theodore deep dive
Whether you’re naming a baby or exploring your own name’s history, this is a personal letter, not a list: where Theodore truly comes from, how it traveled, and what a century of records reveals. If you have grown a tree on nametree, it also considers how Theodore fits with your family’s names and surname.
Keep exploring
Names like Theodore · Nicknames for Theodore · Middle names for Theodore · Greek baby names
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