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At a Glance: Name: Theo – Meaning: gift of God (via Theodore/Theodora); has no fixed meaning of its own since it's also used as a nickname for other names – Origin: Greek (pet form of Theodore/Theodora, occasionally short for other Theo- names) – Gender: Boy – Pronunciation: THEE-oh
Theo is a Greek name, pronounced THEE-oh, that started life as a shorter form of Theodore (or Theodora). Through that connection it carries the meaning "gift of God," though on its own Theo doesn't have a fixed meaning of its own, since it's also used as a nickname for other Theo- names.
Meaning & Origin of Theo
Meaning: Gift of god (via theodore/theodora); has no fixed meaning of its own since it's also used as a nickname for other names.
Origin: Greek (pet form of Theodore/Theodora, occasionally short for other Theo- names).
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Theo
Phonetic: THEE-oh IPA: /ˈθiːoʊ/
Popularity of Theo
Theo ranked #80 for boys in 2024, given to 4,110 babies, just a step down from its peak of #78 in 2023 when 4,137 boys were given the name.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.
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Free printable nursery art for Theo, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Theo mean?
Gift of god (via theodore/theodora); has no fixed meaning of its own since it’s also used as a nickname for other names. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Theo)
How do you pronounce Theo?
Theo is pronounced THEE-oh (IPA: /ˈθiːoʊ/).
Is Theo a popular name right now?
Theo is near its all-time peak (#78 in 2023), ranked #80 in 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)
📊 How popular is Theo? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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