Theodor
Masculine · “gift of God”
Theodor is the German and Scandinavian of Theodore — gift of God — and it is the middle name Dr Seuss made his pen name from.
How old is the name Theodor?
Theodor first appears in US birth records in 1884 — 141 years ago. The typical Theodor alive today was born around 2002, making them about 23 years old. About 1,700 people named Theodor are estimated to be alive in the US today.
When was the name Theodor most popular?
Theodor peaked in 1887, reaching #921 nationally. Today it ranks #1992, 1,071 places below that high. See the whole 1887 chart.
Lists built from the same records:
Where it comes from
From theos doron to Theodor
The story of Theodor
Theodore was a great name of the Byzantine east and of Russia as Fyodor. Theodor Herzl founded political Zionism; Theodor Geisel wrote as Dr Seuss, using his own middle name. It is standard across German, Scandinavian and Romanian naming, and appears in American records rising and in current use.
Meaning
gift of God
From the Greek theos, 'god', and doron, 'gift'. Both elements are ordinary Greek and the compound is transparent and undisputed. Theodor is the standard German, Swedish and Romanian spelling. It translates the Hebrew Jonathan and Matthew exactly.
How the name formed
- theos doron
- Theodoros
- Theodor
Related forms: Theodor · Theodor · Theodore · Fyodor
Pronouncing Theodor
TAY-oh-dor
Three syllables, stress on the first. German says it that way; English Theodore is THEE-uh-dor.
Nicknames for Theodor
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
- 1884
- Most boys named
- 202386 — the highest on record
- Peak rank
- #921reached in 1887
- Change vs 2023
- −11.6%76 in 2025, from 86
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.
Theodor in other languages
The same name elsewhere
- Theodor in German — same name
- Theodor in Swedish — same name
- Theodore in English — related form
- Fyodor in Russian — related form
Strongest US states over the last decade: California, New York, Texas.
Theodors among us
people named Theodor are estimated to be alive in the US today
About 1 boy in 22,475 born in 2025 was named Theodor
Estimated from SSA birth records and published actuarial life tables. Method
Is it right for you
What happens to a name after it peaks
Fashion outlook
Theodor sits in the calm middle of the cycle — neither chasing a wave nor sliding off one. Middle-of-the-cycle names age slowly and predictably.
A scored estimate from 146 years of naming cycles — not a prophecy. Great names outlive statistics. How this is scored
Where Theodor is headed
Theodor should hold steady through 2030 — the curve is flat, and flat curves are the most predictable kind.
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.
Theodor beside its neighbors
The names ranked closest to Theodor in 2025, in babies rather than position — the bars are to scale.
US boys given each name in 2025.
The trade-off
- The gift-of-God meaning is transparent, undisputed and about as good as meanings get.
- Theo and Teddy are two short forms, both with real currency.
- It is standard in German, Swedish, Norwegian and Romanian.
- Theodore is the form English speakers will assume.
- The initial vowel differs between German and English readings.
- It will be corrected to Theodore by other people.
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What they receive
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Theodor
Masculine · #1992 in the U.S.
Frequently asked
- How many Theodors are there in the world?
- No country counts the world's names, so there is no worldwide figure — anyone quoting one is estimating. About 1,700 people named Theodor are estimated to be alive in the US today.
- How popular is the name Theodor in 2025?
- Theodor ranks #1992 among US boy names in 2025, with 76 babies given the name.
- How rare is the name Theodor?
- About 1 in every 22,475 US boys born in 2025 was named Theodor — 76 in all.
- Will my child share the name Theodor with classmates?
- Theodor will almost certainly be the only one in school.
Ranked beside Theodor
Names sitting at a similar level of popularity right now.
Buck#1992 · Exodus#1992 · Cadence#1992 · Hashim#1992 · Ori#1992 · Paolo#1992 · Abubakr#1992 · Chosyn#1992
Looking for what else is popular rather than what resembles Theodor? See the current top 100.
Choosing between Theodor and another name?
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US figures from the Social Security Administration. 1880–2025. Data & methodology
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