Nameling

Theo

Gender
Boy
Say it
THEE-o
Origin
Greek
UK rank, 2025
#12 for boys
US rank, 2025
#82 for boys

Theo is a boys' name of Greek origin, meaning “gift of God”. In 2025 it ranked 12th for boys in the UK (2,747 babies) and 82nd for boys in the US (3,945 babies).

What does Theo mean?

Greek: short form of Theodore

“gift of God”

A short form of Theodore and similar names; Theo van Gogh was the art-dealer brother of the painter Vincent van Gogh.

More on Wiktionary.

Is Theo a girl's or a boy's name?

Theo is a boys' name. In 2025, it was given to 2,747 boys in the UK and 21 girls and 3,945 boys in the US.

How popular is Theo in the UK?

Rank in 2025
#12among boys
Babies in 2025
2,747about 1 in 110 boys
Five-year trend
Steadydown 7% in five years
Same name in a class
12%chance among 15 boys

In 2025, 2,747 boys in the UK were named Theo, making it the 12th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 15th. Its busiest year was 2022, with 3,183 boys.

It has been given to fewer boys each year for the last 3 years. 2025 had fewer boys named Theo than any year since 2016.

Half of all the boys named Theo in the UK since 1996 were born between 2012 and 2021, the years shaded on the chart below.

Among boys in 2025, it was 12th in England and Wales, 6th in Scotland and 7th in Northern Ireland.

In the England and Wales top 100 for boys, which the ONS has published every ten years since 1904: 2014 (#37) and 2024 (#12).

1996Busiest: 3,183 in 20222025
Theo in the UK, year by year
YearBoysRank
20252,747#12
20242,782#12
20232,835#9
20223,183#7
20212,852#15
20202,942#15
20193,058#16
20183,018#20
20172,865#22
20162,486#30
20152,267#35
20142,141#38
20131,861#42
20121,699#47
20111,487#53
20101,550#54
20091,384#58
20081,345#61
20071,015#80
2006769#97
2005494#130
2004506#125
2003400#138
2002328#146
2001300#147
2000236#170
1999152#223
1998135#248
1997137#251
1996122#263

How popular is Theo in the US?

Rank in 2025
#82among boys
Babies in 2025
3,945about 1 in 430 boys
Five-year trend
Rising fastup 111% in five years
Same name in a class
3.2%chance among 15 boys

In 2025, 3,945 boys in the US were named Theo, making it the 82nd most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 172nd. Its busiest year was 2023, with 4,140 boys. 21 girls were also named Theo in 2025 (5,721st for girls).

Half of all the boys named Theo in the US since 1880 were born between 2015 and 2023, the years shaded on the chart below.

In 1891, 66% of the babies named Theo in the US were girls. By 2025 it was under 1%, with more boys than girls since 1946.

1880Busiest: 4,140 in 20232025
Theo in the US, year by year
YearBoysRank
20253,945#82
20244,129#80
20234,140#78
20223,642#98
20212,703#142
20202,225#172
20192,018#195
20181,554#243
20171,232#290
2016952#354
2015765#405
2014550#509
2013365#663
2012287#790
2011245#863
2010221#914
2009187#1,032
2008188#1,019
2007191#1,012
2006156#1,116
2005139#1,149
2004133#1,170
2003109#1,290
200298#1,343
200184#1,456
2000101#1,279
199976#1,486
199863#1,639
199762#1,625
199653#1,737
199556#1,618
199454#1,659
199350#1,716
199259#1,505
199161#1,446
199066#1,365
198977#1,215
198877#1,142
198775#1,105
198685#1,002
198576#1,056
198423#2,231
198327#1,954
198233#1,733
198131#1,810
198036#1,619
197938#1,532
197846#1,352
197751#1,245
197658#1,111
197557#1,114
197432#1,546
197327#1,696
197226#1,721
197123#1,861
197028#1,614
196929#1,492
196824#1,613
196729#1,410
196623#1,612
196543#1,144
196439#1,235
196332#1,374
196226#1,545
196136#1,321
196042#1,209
195936#1,301
195835#1,304
195737#1,277
195639#1,217
195533#1,312
195430#1,381
195333#1,303
195241#1,151
195146#1,051
195041#1,104
194936#1,184
194847#1,022
194739#1,158
194643#1,045
194548#927
194444#974
194361#846
194245#991
194139#1,040
194038#1,050
193964#754
193864#764
193740#1,000
193673#690
193571#725
193455#845
193362#775
193276#708
193185#643
193090#645
192975#721
192892#652
1927109#592
1926104#614
192598#641
192497#653
192392#668
1922109#617
1921107#611
192097#640
191992#633
191887#664
191789#629
191696#593
191591#601
191481#546
191362#550
191250#568
191131#533
191035#461
190922#558
190834#403
190729#429
190617#568
190523#463
190427#401
190318#505
190224#415
190118#453
190014#679
189910#661
189816#523
189711#652
189612#641
189514#556
189412#594
189311#615
18929#747
189111#564
189012#566
18898#722
18889#704
188710#583
18868#694
18858#700
18847#764
188314#479
188212#540
18818#653
18809#640

Names like Theo

Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.

Leo Theodore Arlo Noah Oakley Hudson Elijah Luca Albie Hugo Milo Finley

Names related to Theo

Teo Thao

More Greek names

Sophia George Lucas Sofia Alexander Sebastian Penelope Phoebe Margot Luke Chloe Sophie Zoe Iris Maisie Lainey

Every Greek name

Sources

Figures from Baby names in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics), Babies' first names (National Records of Scotland), Baby names (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency) and Popular Baby Names (US Social Security Administration). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.

To cite this page: Nameling, “Theo: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/theo, updated 20 October 2026.