Thoreau: Name Meaning, Origin & Popularity

At a Glance: Name: Thoreau – Origin: French (surname, transferred to given-name use) – Gender: Boy – Pronunciation: THOR-oh


Thoreau is a French (surname, transferred to given-name use) boy's name. It appears in 3 of our baby name lists.

Meaning & Origin of Thoreau

Origin: French (surname, transferred to given-name use).

A common claim: bull (from French taureau) Actually: The 'bull' gloss is a popular folk link, but the surname's actual origin is disputed, not settled as 'bull.'

Source: Wiktionary.

How to Pronounce Thoreau

Phonetic: THOR-oh

Popularity of Thoreau

Thoreau doesn’t appear in U.S. Social Security birth records, which include every name given to at least five babies in a year — so it’s rare in the U.S.

Lists That Include Thoreau

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