Theo is a boy name with a modern feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Theo means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Theo across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Theo has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Theo is a boy name of Greek origin meaning “gift of God”. A short form of Theodore.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 39,333 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 40,484 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 2,803 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 1,203 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 2,081 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 969 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Theo per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 2023 (4,182/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2022 (2,808/yr) · Scotland peaked in 2024 (270/yr) · Ireland peaked in 2024 (252/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2022 (132/yr).
Theo has been a fairly common baby name in the United States. It was most common in 2023, when it ranked #130 nationally (given to 7,253 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 2020s.
Thea · Thuy · Thao · Thu · Theia · Thi · Thai · Thy
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