Theo
Short form of Theodore, or of the rare given names Theobald, Theophilus or Theodoric, or of Theodora.
Every Theo since 1880 — 39,333 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Theo
Theo is a top-100 name for boys in the United States, ranked #82 in 2025 with 3,945 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 39,333 American babies have been named Theo — about 91% boys and 9% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2023, when 4,182 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Theo stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Theo year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 21 | #5,894 | 3,945 | #82 |
| 2024 | 31 | #4,554 | 4,129 | #80 |
| 2023 | 42 | #3,705 | 4,140 | #78 |
| 2022 | 50 | #3,276 | 3,642 | #98 |
| 2021 | 64 | #2,708 | 2,703 | #142 |
| 2020 | 44 | #3,493 | 2,225 | #172 |
| 2019 | 31 | #4,534 | 2,018 | #195 |
| 2018 | 7 | #13,679 | 1,554 | #243 |
| 2017 | 7 | #13,992 | 1,232 | #290 |
| 2016 | 11 | #10,057 | 952 | #354 |
| 2015 | — | — | 765 | #406 |
| 2014 | — | — | 550 | #509 |
| 2013 | — | — | 365 | #663 |
| 2012 | — | — | 287 | #790 |
| 2011 | — | — | 245 | #863 |
| 2010 | — | — | 221 | #918 |
| 2009 | — | — | 187 | #1,033 |
| 2008 | — | — | 188 | #1,022 |
| 2007 | — | — | 191 | #1,012 |
| 2006 | — | — | 156 | #1,120 |
| 2005 | — | — | 139 | #1,154 |
| 2004 | — | — | 133 | #1,178 |
| 2003 | — | — | 109 | #1,295 |
| 2002 | 5 | #17,892 | 98 | #1,355 |
| 2001 | — | — | 84 | #1,471 |
| 2000 | — | — | 101 | #1,289 |
| 1995 | — | — | 56 | #1,646 |
| 1990 | — | — | 66 | #1,382 |
| 1985 | — | — | 76 | #1,063 |
| 1980 | — | — | 36 | #1,651 |
| 1975 | 6 | #8,968 | 57 | #1,124 |
| 1970 | 7 | #7,003 | 28 | #1,654 |
| 1965 | — | — | 43 | #1,161 |
| 1960 | 7 | #5,653 | 42 | #1,226 |
| 1955 | 23 | #2,337 | 33 | #1,337 |
| 1950 | 31 | #1,713 | 41 | #1,122 |
| 1945 | 53 | #1,094 | 48 | #941 |
| 1940 | 32 | #1,345 | 38 | #1,063 |
| 1935 | 39 | #1,133 | 71 | #729 |
| 1930 | 55 | #1,000 | 90 | #653 |
| 1925 | 102 | #734 | 98 | #644 |
| 1920 | 98 | #731 | 97 | #645 |
| 1915 | 98 | #668 | 91 | #604 |
| 1910 | 29 | #810 | 35 | #472 |
| 1905 | 34 | #608 | 23 | #475 |
| 1900 | 22 | #798 | 14 | #696 |
| 1895 | 25 | #620 | 14 | #577 |
| 1890 | 12 | #820 | 12 | #599 |
| 1885 | 11 | #694 | 8 | #759 |
| 1880 | 7 | #730 | 9 | #680 |
Famous people named Theo
- Theo van Gogh Painter · 1857–1891
- Theo Angelopoulos Film director · 1935–2012
- Theo van Doesburg Artist · 1883–1931
- Theo van Gogh Film director · 1957–2004
- Theo Jansen Artist · b. 1948
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Theo mean?
Short form of Theodore, or of the rare given names Theobald, Theophilus or Theodoric, or of Theodora.
How popular is the name Theo in 2025?
Theo ranked #82 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 3,945 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Theo?
39,333 babies have been named Theo in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Theo most popular?
Theo peaked in 2023, when 4,182 newborns received the name.
Is Theo a boy or girl name?
Theo is used for both: about 9% of babies named Theo have been girls and 91% boys.
Is the name Theo rising or falling?
Theo is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Theo?
Well-known people named Theo include Theo van Gogh (painter), Theo Angelopoulos (film director), Theo van Doesburg (artist).