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Theodor

♂ Boy

Pronounced TEH-oh-doh /ˈteː.o.doːɐ̯/Medium

Meaning: Gift of godMedium

In 30 seconds: Theodor is a German form of Theodore, meaning 'gift of God'.
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Origin MediumGerman, Swedish, Norwegian
MeaningGift of god
U.S. rank (2024)#2109 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births71 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2022
Total births (all-time)≈ 2,140

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202218842024

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Theodor carries the meaning 'gift of God', a German spelling of the name English speakers know as Theodore. It has deep roots in German-speaking Europe and relatives across many languages, including the Romanian Tudor and the Ethiopian Tewodros. Two presidents bore it: Austria's Theodor Körner and Theodor Heuss, the first president of West Germany.

Dropping the final 'e' gives the German form a crisper finish, and its variants reach as far as the Icelandic Theódór and the Ethiopian Tewodros.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Theodor is 'gift of god', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Theodor — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

TeodorTudorTheódórTheodórTewodros

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • ★Theodor Körner (1873–1957)
    Austrian military officer who served as President of Austria from 1951 to 1957.
  • ★Theodor Heuss (1884–1963)
    First President of the Federal Republic of Germany (1949–1959).

If you like Theodor…

Theodore— the English form of the same 'gift of God' name
Theodora— the feminine counterpart with the same meaning

Frequently Asked

What does the name Theodor mean?

Theodor is usually explained as meaning 'gift of god' and is most often linked with German tradition.

How do you pronounce Theodor?

It's commonly said TEH-oh-doh /ˈteː.o.doːɐ̯/.

Is Theodor a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Theodor is used as a boy name.

How popular is Theodor?

In 2024, Theodor ranked #2109 in the U.S. for boys, with 71 births recorded.