Theoden
Masculine · “king”
Theoden is Old English for a king — theoden, a real word — and Tolkien used it unchanged for the king of Rohan, because Rohan's language is Old English.
How old is the name Theoden?
Theoden first appears in US birth records in 2004 — 21 years ago. The typical Theoden is a kid of about 3 — this name's wave is very recent. About 700 people named Theoden are estimated to be alive in the US today.
When was the name Theoden most popular?
Theoden peaked in 2025, reaching #1621 nationally. Today it ranks #1621, exactly where it peaked. See the whole 2025 chart.
Theoden appears on this list:
Where it comes from
From theod to Theoden
The story of Theoden
Tolkien built the language and names of Rohan entirely from Old English, and Théoden is simply the word for a king — his name is his title. He appears in The Two Towers and dies at the Pelennor Fields. The name entered American use after the films of 2002 and 2003, appearing in the registers from that period.
Meaning
king, lord of a people
From the Old English theoden, 'prince' or 'king', built on theod, 'people' or 'nation' — the same element in Theodoric and in Deutsch. Tolkien, a professor of Anglo-Saxon, used real Old English words for the Rohirrim rather than inventing any. The word is genuine and the meaning undisputed.
How the name formed
- theod
- theoden
- Théoden
Related forms: Théoden · Theoderich
Pronouncing Theoden
THAY-oh-den
Three syllables, stress on the first. Tolkien's accent marks a long first vowel; some readers say THEE-oh-den.
Nicknames for Theoden
Moderate
What the data says
146 years of official birth records
The long climb, and where it stands now
The same years in position rather than babies
- First recorded
- 2004
- Most boys named
- 2025104 — the highest on record
- Peak rank
- #1621reached in 2025
- Change vs 2024
- +18.2%104 in 2025, from 88
Rank is a position, a count is a headcount, and they move independently — a name can hold its rank while the number of babies behind it falls. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration.
Theoden in other languages
The same name elsewhere
- Théoden in English — spelling variant
- Theoderich in German — related form
Strongest US states over the last decade: California, Texas, Washington.
Theodens among us
people named Theoden are estimated to be alive in the US today
About 1 boy in 16,424 born in 2025 was named Theoden
Estimated from SSA birth records and published actuarial life tables. Method
Is it right for you
What happens to a name after it peaks
The Aarron test
Every popular name lives one long story — a climb, a peak, a slow settling back. Theoden's later chapters haven't been written yet, so we borrowed them: Aarron climbed just as high around 1992, and its whole arc is on record. Line the two peaks up, and Aarron's path sketches the road Theoden is walking now.
Theoden is climbing fast right now. Steep climbs tend to come with steep descents — the quicker a name arrives, the more firmly it belongs to its moment.
A scored estimate from 146 years of naming cycles — not a prophecy. Great names outlive statistics. How this is scored
Where Theoden is headed
Theoden looks set to keep climbing gently, with roughly 41% more babies a year by 2030 if the current curve holds.
Medium confidence — fitted on official counts through 2025.
A damped-trend projection of the official birth data — a sketch of momentum, not a promise. Every name's forecast, ranked.
Theoden beside its neighbors
The names ranked closest to Theoden in 2025, in babies rather than position — the bars are to scale.
US boys given each name in 2025.
The trade-off
- It is a real Old English word rather than an invention, which is unusual for a fantasy name.
- Theo is available as a short form that is fully current in its own right.
- The meaning is transparent and about as strong as meanings get.
- The association with one fictional king is total.
- The first vowel splits between two readings.
- It is very new and will need spelling out.
Nobody names a baby alone.
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What they receive
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Theoden
Masculine · #1621 in the U.S.
Frequently asked
- How many Theodens are there in the world?
- No country counts the world's names, so there is no worldwide figure — anyone quoting one is estimating. About 700 people named Theoden are estimated to be alive in the US today.
- How popular is the name Theoden in 2025?
- Theoden ranks #1621 among US boy names in 2025, with 104 babies given the name.
- How rare is the name Theoden?
- About 1 in every 16,424 US boys born in 2025 was named Theoden — 104 in all.
- Will my child share the name Theoden with classmates?
- Theoden will almost certainly be the only one in school.
Ranked beside Theoden
Names sitting at a similar level of popularity right now.
Teagan#1621 · Benton#1621 · Antony#1621 · Ahaan#1621 · Kendrix#1621 · Obadiah#1621 · Tylen#1621 · Carmen#1621
Looking for what else is popular rather than what resembles Theoden? See the current top 100.
Choosing between Theoden and another name?
See them side by side — full stats, history and a gentle verdict.
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Which one would you pick?
Your gut first, the numbers after — the split shows once you pick.
US figures from the Social Security Administration. 1880–2025. Data & methodology
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