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Theodor as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Theodor

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The baby name Theodor is a Male name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced English: /ˈθiːədɔːr/ or /ˈθiːədər/ (THEE-ə-dor); German/Scandinavian: /ˈteːodoːr/ (TAY-oh-dor).

Theodor is Greek in Origin.

Gender: Male
Syllables: 3.0
Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: English: /ˈθiːədɔːr/ or /ˈθiːədər/ (THEE-ə-dor); German/Scandinavian: /ˈteːodoːr/ (TAY-oh-dor)

What is the meaning of the name Theodor ?

The baby name Theodor is a Male name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced English: /ˈθiːədɔːr/ or /ˈθiːədər/ (THEE-ə-dor); German/Scandinavian: /ˈteːodoːr/ (TAY-oh-dor).

Theodor is Greek in Origin.

From Greek Theódōros (“theos,” God + “dōron,” gift), Theodor means “gift of God.” Latinized as Theodorus, it moved into medieval Europe through the church, borne by early martyrs and bishops, which secured its use across Christendom. In German-speaking lands and Scandinavia the streamlined form Theodor took hold, while English favored Theodore; usage revived in the 18th–19th centuries with neoclassical tastes and remains steady today.

Variants and cognates include Théodore (French), Teodoro (Italian, Spanish, Portuguese), Teodor (Polish, Romanian, Czech, Scandinavian), Feodor/Fyodor or Fedor (Russian), and Tivadar (Hungarian); the feminine counterparts are Theodora and Feodora. Short forms and nicknames span Theo, Ted, Teddy, and Teo; Dutch Dorus derives from Theodorus. The name carries an erudite, continental flair through figures like Theodor Mommsen, Theodor Herzl, and Theodor W. Adorno, while the modern Theo keeps it brisk and contemporary.

Theodor has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Theodor

Theodor Mommsen Politician · Born 1817 · Duchy of Schleswig Theodor Mommsen was a German historian and classical scholar best known for his major work on ancient Rome, especially The History of Rome and Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum. He was also a jurist, journalist, politician, and archaeologist, and is widely considered one of the greatest classicists of the 19th century. Theodor Herzl Politician · Born 1860 · Hungary Theodor Herzl was best known as the father of modern political Zionism. A Hungarian Jewish journalist and lawyer, he founded the Zionist Organization and argued for the creation of a Jewish state, especially through his influential book The Jewish State. Theodor Heuss Politician · Born 1884 · Germany Theodor Heuss was a German politician best known as the first president of West Germany, serving from 1949 to 1959. He was widely respected for his calm, civil manner, which helped strengthen democracy in West Germany during its postwar recovery and economic boom.
Theodor Kallifatides Actor · Born 1938 · Sweden Theodor Kallifatides is best known as a Greek-born Swedish writer. Born in 1938, he immigrated to Sweden and writes in Swedish, becoming known for novels such as The Siege of Troy, Another Life to Live, and The Plough and the Sword.

Theodor – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Germany Boys 2025 #1 423
Ireland Boys 2025 #1 836
Norway Boys 2025 #11 276 444
Austria Boys 2024 #34 233 60
Sweden Boys 2022 #41 262 1,509
CM 0 #56 1 2,592
BG 0 #79 4 1,799
Switzerland Boys 2024 #94 44 1,769
EE Boys 0 #123 3 2,087
GR 0 #129 7 3,911
CY Boys 0 #131 1 3,473
MT Boys 0 #179 1 4,064
CZ 0 #185 2 3,154
RU 0 #193 2 3,641
NA Boys 0 #197 39 6,830
BG Boys 0 #203 17 3,850
DK 0 #203 4 5,198
LU Boys 0 #220 1 4,970
GR Boys 0 #229 39 6,912
IR 0 #230 2 4,221
NA Girls 0 #234 4 7,146
GH 0 #248 1 5,396
GR Girls 0 #249 1 6,293
CZ Boys 0 #253 52 6,530
HR Boys 0 #257 3 3,997
Canada Boys 2024 #291 16 2,588
DK Boys 0 #293 33 7,401
JM Boys 0 #293 1 6,876
KZ Boys 0 #293 4 6,578
CN Boys 0 #331 1 9,639
PL Boys 0 #337 4 6,459
JO Girls 0 #339 1 7,570
CZ Girls 0 #351 1 5,378
GH Boys 0 #361 1 8,138
MU Boys 0 #369 1 8,477
France Boys 2021 #374 14 2,865
PT Boys 0 #380 2 7,951
Austria Boys 0 #389 54 2,180
JO Boys 0 #389 1 7,057
BO 0 #408 1 6,868
EG 0 #412 1 6,387
Germany 0 #426 12 2,542
ZA 0 #435 13 14,421
SD Boys 0 #466 1 10,523
RU Boys 0 #484 22 12,621
Finland Boys 2026 #495 205 3,552
IR Boys 0 #504 49 10,162
CR Boys 0 #510 1 10,188
CM Boys 0 #513 38 12,054
IR Girls 0 #545 1 8,334
PS Boys 0 #554 8 10,655
HK Boys 0 #556 2 12,905
IL Boys 0 #589 19 10,983
BD Boys 0 #604 2 10,045
LB 0 #646 13 13,263
Germany Boys 0 #657 313 5,697
CL Boys 0 #698 3 13,390
SG Boys 0 #738 2 17,960
SY 0 #767 1 11,684
BR Boys 0 #782 4 12,213
KW Boys 0 #806 1 18,755
United States Boys 2024 #822 71 7,044
TN 0 #865 1 13,765
OM Boys 0 #918 1 17,948
EG Boys 0 #923 3 15,035
PE Boys 0 #925 2 14,506
NL Boys 0 #940 12 5,873
NG Boys 0 #942 10 16,906
PE Girls 0 #1,010 1 14,861
MX Boys 0 #1,033 1 16,355
IN Boys 0 #1,038 2 16,750
ZA Boys 0 #1,126 53 25,619
AE Boys 0 #1,141 3 22,615
MA 0 #1,197 3 20,986
DZ 0 #1,231 4 20,130
ZA Girls 0 #1,234 3 25,928
TR 0 #1,253 2 19,440
IT Boys 0 #1,381 91 10,046
SA Boys 0 #1,691 1 28,008

Theodor is popular in 58 countries — most recent births per country:

Norway
France
Canada
Switzerland
Sweden

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People also ask about Theodor

Theodor is predominantly a boy's name.
Theodor is a 3 syllable name, pronounced English: /ˈθiːədɔːr/ or /ˈθiːədər/ (THEE-ə-dor); German/Scandinavian: /ˈteːodoːr/ (TAY-oh-dor).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Theodore, Theodoros, Teodor, Teodoro, Théodore and Fjodor.
Across languages, Theodor has these equivalents: {'Greek': 'Theodoros (Θεόδωρος), 'Russian': 'Fyodor (Фёдор), 'Bulgarian/Serbian': 'Todor (Тодор).
Yes, very popular — Theodor ranked #1 in Germany in 2025, and appears in official birth registries across 12 countries.
Theodor ranks highest in Germany (#1 in 2025).
Theodor's popularity is rising. It moved from #14 in 2015 to #11 in 2025 in Norway.
Yes — 4 notable people named Theodor are in our database, including Theodor Mommsen (Politician), Theodor Herzl (Politician), Theodor Heuss (Politician).