Tim

♂ Boy

Pronounced TIHM /ˈtɪm/Medium

Meaning: Honouring GodMedium

In 30 seconds: Tim is an English short form meaning 'honouring God', long used on its own as a friendly, plainspoken name.

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Origin MediumEnglish, Dutch, German

MeaningHonouring God

U.S. rank (2025)#3230 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births37 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1960

Total births (all-time)≈ 83,364

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

Tim grew up as a short form tied to the sense of 'honouring God', and it stands comfortably alone as a given name. Its fuller relatives include Timoteus, while everyday use produced affectionate forms like Timmy and the continental Timo. Early American bearers such as NFL founder Tim Mara and Hall of Fame pitcher Tim Keefe show how settled the name was in English-speaking life.

The single crisp syllable is part of its appeal, easy to say and quick to write. Its variations run from the casual Timmy and Timo to the more formal Timoteus, giving families a range from nickname-light to traditional.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Tim is 'honouring God', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.

Overall data confidence 78%

Behind the Name - Tim — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

TimmyTimoTímTìmTimoteus

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

★Tim Mara (1887–1959)
Founding owner of the NFL New York Giants.
★Tim Keefe (1857–1933)
Hall of Fame 19th-century baseball pitcher.

If you like Tim…

Tom— another single-syllable English boy's name with the same brisk, traditional feel as Tim.

Trent— lands in the same popularity range

Truth— a fellow English choice

Townes— shares Tim's English roots

Todd— shares Tim's English roots

Explore names like Tim

By themeenglish german

By meaningGod / Divine Honor

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Tim mean?

Tim is usually explained as meaning 'honouring God' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Tim?

It's commonly said TIHM /ˈtɪm/.

Is Tim a boy or girl name?

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

How popular is Tim?

In 2024, Tim ranked #2514 in the U.S. for boys, with 54 births recorded.