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Theodore

♀ Girl

Pronounced THEE-uh-dor /ˈθi.ə.dɔr/Medium

Meaning: From the Greek Theodoros — theos, 'god', + doron, 'gift', hence 'a gift of God'; strongly boy-leaning; here for girls; we note the masculine nameLow

In 30 seconds: A gift of God: Theodore is Greek. Stately, classic, and warm. Strongly boy-leaning (here for girls).

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Origin LowGreek

MeaningFrom the Greek Theodoros — theos, 'god', + doron, 'gift', hence 'a gift of God'; strongly boy-leaning; here for girls; we note the masculine name

U.S. rank (2025)#13074 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births7 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1929

Total births (all-time)≈ 969

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Theodore comes from the Greek Theodoros — theos, 'god', + doron, 'gift', hence 'a gift of God' (we note the masculine name). Strongly boy-leaning, here for a girl (slug distinguished; often shortened to Thea/Teddy; said 'THEE-uh-dor').

In the U.S. it appears overwhelmingly for boys; here for a girl. Very rare for girls, a-gift-of-God at the root, and stately.

Did you know? Theodore joins the Greek theos, 'god', and doron, 'gift', hence 'a gift of God' — a stately classic, here (rarely) for a girl, often shortened to Thea/Teddy (we note the masculine name; said 'THEE-uh-dor').

Overall data confidence 30%

References — Theodore — boy-leaning; here girls'

Variations

TheodoraTheaTeddy

Nicknames

TheaTeddy

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Theodore…

Theodora— the feminine form

Thea— a short form

Theia— a sound-neighbor The- girls' name

Dora— a fellow -dora girls' name

Explore names like Theodore

By themeuncertain greek unisex

By meaningGod / Divine Strength Gift / Blessing

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Theodore mean?

Theodore is Greek for 'a gift of God' (theos + doron). It is strongly boy-leaning; here for a girl. We note the masculine name.

How do you pronounce Theodore?

It's said THEE-uh-dor /ˈθi.ə.dɔr/ — three syllables, stress on the first.

Is Theodore a boy or girl name?

Theodore is overwhelmingly a boys' name; this page covers its rare use as a girl's name (often via Thea/Teddy).

How popular is Theodore?

Theodore is a very rare name for girls in the U.S.