Theo
Theo is a boys' name of Greek origin meaning “divine gift.” It ranked #82 in the United States in 2025. Theo is a Greek name meaning 'god' and works as both a standalone name and a short form of Theodore.
how do you pronounce Theo?
THEE-oh
Hear it spoken aloud with our AI pronunciation tool.
what does Theo mean?
The name Theo means “divine gift.” It comes from the Greek language tradition.
Theo is a Greek name meaning 'god' and works as both a standalone name and a short form of Theodore. It has surged as parents embrace the nickname as the full legal name, doubling the Theo-Theodore trend dominating charts.
where does the name Theo come from?
A short form rather than a name in its own right. Wiktionary records it as serving Theodore, Theobald, Theophilus, Theodoric and the feminine Theodora — all of which begin with the Greek theos, meaning god, so the divine element is common to every source name.
the history of Theo
Wiktionary dates its first record as a given name in Sweden to 1860, which places its independent use in the nineteenth century rather than earlier. Because it serves several longer names, a Theo may be short for any of them or for none.
how popular is this name?
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | #82 |
| 2024 | #80 |
| 2023 | #78 |
| 2022 | #98 |
| 2021 | #142 |
| 2020 | #172 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset
what are the nicknames and variants of Theo?
Nicknames
Variants around the world
who are famous people named Theo?
- Theo James (British actor)
- Theo Epstein (MLB executive)
- Theo van Gogh (brother of Vincent van Gogh)
what names are similar to Theo?
what names go well with Theo?
Sibling names that share Theo's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
Last reviewed April 30, 2026 · Curated by HushName editorial
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