Theo Name Meaning, Origin, Popularity & Nicknames

Theo Name Meaning and Origin

Theo is a short contemporary baby name choice. This name has been gradually becoming popular in the recent decade. The name made its appearance in 1880. However, it didn’t last much longer in the name charts and disappeared by 1940. This name has been rapidly gaining popularity in present times because of its cool vibe. Therefore, if you are looking for an ultra-modern name for your child, Theo might be a wise choice. 

What Does Theo Mean?

Parents provide significant importance to their child’s name. Due to this, learning and understanding, its meaning can prove beneficial before finalizing one a name. The meaning of Theo is “Divine Gift” in Greek. The name comes from the Greek word “theos,” meaning “God,” and “door,” meaning “gift.” The name also means “the boldest” or “bold people” in German and French. Therefore, this name has a symbolic meaning and is an excellent name for your little child. 

Origin

The origin of the name Theo comes from Greek. It is a short form of the name Theodore or Theodorus. This name is also a diminutive of Theobald. The short form of this name gained significant popularity in recent decades because of its unique and cool vibe.

Gender 

Unisex

Pronunciation

  • Thee-oh
  • Theh-o

Syllables

2 syllables

Length/Letter

4 letters

Name Variations/Spellings

Different names have different variations. It signifies the wide variety of names across different cultures, nationalities, and religions. Similarly, other spellings for Theo denote the cultural significance of the name across the globe. Therefore, some of the distinctive Theo name variations are:

Name Origin
Teo
Croatian, Slovene, and Italian
Thibault French
Thibaud French
Theobald Germanic
Todor Greek
Thei Limburgish
Thebault French
Tybalt English
Theobold Anglo-Saxon
Tibalt English

How Popular Is the Name Theo?

The name Theo has been gradually gaining popularity in recent decades. In the US, this name did not rank in the top 1000 from 1990 to 2009. As per the Theo popularity index, the name entered the top 1000 name list in 2010 by ranking 918. Data collected from Social Security Administration supports this data and indicates its journey towards the upward direction. 

Accordion to the Theo baby name ranking, the name ranked 863 in 2011, followed by 790 in 2012, 665 in 2013, and 509 in 2014. The significant use of the name can be understood from the increase in the rank of this name. As per SSA data, Theo entered the top 500 baby names list in 2015 by ranking 404. It ranked 354 in 2016, 290 in 2017, and 243 in 2018. 

After this, the name entered the top 200 list by ranking 195 in 2019. This level of viable interest in the name stems from the name’s fluent pronunciation and the inclination of parents towards using short and contemporary names. The name further elevated to 172 in 2020. This indicates the name’s wide usage, and it highlights the potential of the name to enter the top 100 names list in the future.

Interest in Theo – Worldwide

trends.embed.renderExploreWidget(“TIMESERIES”, {“comparisonItem”:[{“keyword”:”Theo”,”geo”:””,”time”:”2011-01-01 2021-11-25″}],”category”:0,”property”:””}, {“exploreQuery”:”date=2011-01-01%202021-11-25&q=Theo”,”guestPath”:”https://trends.google.com:443/trends/embed/”});

In the last ten years, the interest in the name Theo has significantly increased. The name has ranked over 35 in the last five years and has reached the highest rank in November 2021. 

Interest in Theo – the US

trends.embed.renderExploreWidget(“TIMESERIES”, {“comparisonItem”:[{“keyword”:”Theo”,”geo”:”US”,”time”:”2011-01-01 2021-11-25″}],”category”:0,”property”:””}, {“exploreQuery”:”date=2011-01-01%202021-11-25&geo=US&q=Theo”,”guestPath”:”https://trends.google.com:443/trends/embed/”});

The interest in the nheo is almost consistent in the US, with a rank over 25. The name piqued the highest interest in March 2014, followed by November 2016 and October 2021. 

Popularity of the Name Theo

URL: https://www.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/babyname.cgi

Where Is the Name Most Searched

Search Trends of Theo – Worldwide

trends.embed.renderExploreWidget(“GEO_MAP”, {“comparisonItem”:[{“keyword”:”Theo”,”geo”:””,”time”:”2011-01-01 2021-11-25″}],”category”:0,”property”:””}, {“exploreQuery”:”date=2011-01-01%202021-11-25&q=Theo”,”guestPath”:”https://trends.google.com:443/trends/embed/”});

The search trend indicates the name Theo to be the most popular in Vietnam, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and France. This name has been the most popular in these countries for the last ten years. 

Search Trends of Theo – the US

trends.embed.renderExploreWidget(“GEO_MAP”, {“comparisonItem”:[{“keyword”:”Theo”,”geo”:”US”,”time”:”2011-01-01 2021-11-25″}],”category”:0,”property”:””}, {“exploreQuery”:”date=2011-01-01%202021-11-25&geo=US&q=Theo”,”guestPath”:”https://trends.google.com:443/trends/embed/”});

The search trends for the name Theo are highest in Washington, Oregon, North Dakota, Illinois, and Massachusetts in the US. This indicates the use of the name in these cities in the last decade.

Middle Names That Go With Theo

Middle names are an essential part of your child’s name. A proper middle name ensures the completion of the name while maintaining its beauty. Some of the double names with Theo are:

Benson Morgan
Zachary Christopher
Devon Troy
Stone Elias
Francis Quinn
Hayes Griffin
Isaac Graham
Drake Michael
Patrick Chase
Banks Watson

Famous People Named Theo

The impact of famous people all over the world can be identified in various areas of liSuch people influence even name trendsis list comprises the name of popular personalities called Theo:

Celebrity Name Profession/Famous For
Theo Walcott English footballer
Theo Fleury Canadian ice hockey player
Theo van Doesburg Dutch artist, founder, and leader of the De Stijl art movement
Theo Timmer Dutch motorcycle racer
Theo Bos Dutch road and track cyclist (five-time world champion)
Theo Janssen Dutch footballer
Theo Epstein American baseball executive
Theo Adam German classical bass-baritone
Theo Raeken Character from the TV series Teen Wolf
Theo Van Gogh Brother of artist Vincent Van Gogh

Similar Names & Last Names

A wide variety of names have different spellings yet similar meanings to the chosen name. Likewise, baby names like Theo also have name variations that have the same or similar meanings. Therefore, some other names for Theo and family names for Theo are:

Similar Baby Names
Suitable Family Names
Ian Rodriguez
Benedict Flores
Matthew Perez
Loreto Harris
Adom Walker
Jesse Mendez
Asher Carter
Mikelle White
Aaron Collins
Dory Baker

Names That Sound Like Theo 

Similar sounding names provide more options to parents when selecting a name for their child. These names can also be used for naming your other children. Hence, some of the names that rhyme with Theo are:

Jio Reo
Steo Milo
Ziko Dino
Rico Leo
Romeo Neo
Kilo Lilo
Enzo Lorenzo

Sibling Names Related to Theo

Parents evaluate many names when it comes to making their children. It can be a tedious task to select sibling names that are in harmony with one another. Similarly, it is important to choose sibling names that go with Theo. This list comprises some of the popular sister names for Theo as well as brother names for Theo:

Sister Names for Theo
Brother Names for Theo
Thea Finn
Aurora Stephan
Esme Noah
Amelia Jude
Hazel Liam
Aurelia Elliot
Mia Oscar
Mora August
Freya Luca
Violet Levi

Nicknames for Theo

Nicknames form a part of our childhood. We are often called with our nicknames as compared to our proper names. Therefore, some quirky nicknames for Theo are:

The Eo
Tham Thaw
Tee T-eo
Ted Teddy
Lil-T Timtim

The name Theo is predicted to rise in popularity in the upcoming years. This name is unique and versatile. It’s one of the perfect and modern names that are a great fit for your child. Moreover, it’s has a great meaning which increases the probability of the name’s use.

Sources/References

Social Security Administration: https://www.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/babyname.cgi
Theo Name Popularity in the United States: https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=2011-01-01%202021-11-25&geo=US&q=Theo
Theo Name Popularity Across The World: https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=2011-01-01%202021-11-25&q=Theo
Theo Name Interest in the United States: https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=2011-01-01%202021-11-25&geo=US&q=Theo
Theo Name Interest Across The World: https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=2011-01-01%202021-11-25&q=Theo

Previous article «
Next article »
Ruchelle has a vast experience working with clients in hospitality, health and wellness, entertainment, real estate, and retail. She aims to utilise her learnings to deliver quality content which will in turn help drive sales and customer engagement.