Total births
35,830
Unisex name · since 1880
Theo
Theo has 35,830 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2023 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #80
- among boys today
- 35,830
- born since 1880
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 99.4%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Theo is the #80 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 35,830 recorded since 1880.
Theo has 35,830 recorded births among boys since 1880, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #80 as of the latest data, more common than 99.4% of boys, busiest in the 2020s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #80 among boys today
- 35,830 born since 1880
- 2020s peak decade
- 99.4% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Theo is currently the #80 unisex name in America, more common than 99.4% of boys - 35,830 born since 1880, peaking in the 2020s.
- #80
- among boys today
- 35,830
- born since 1880
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 99.4%
- more common than other boys
Theo vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#80
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 99.4% of names given to boys today.
2020s
Peak decade
58% of everyone ever named Theo was born in this single decade.
2023
Single peak year
4,140 babies were named Theo in 2023 - its busiest year on record.
How Theo compares
35,830 Top 4% higher than 96% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Theo's all-time total is 98x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Theo | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 35,830 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 4,140 | 23 | 22,252 |
Theo's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Theo's SSA record in two at 1953 and the more recent half accounts for 91% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 9%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1884, with only 7 births recorded -- set against the 2023 peak of 4,140, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Theo at a glance
Top 100 boys' namePeak year
2023
Current rank
#80
Active since
1880
Theo popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (2023)
- 4,140
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Theo popularity over time - girls
3,503 total births recorded since 1880 (Theo as girls' name)
Theo by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2020s was Theo's strongest decade.
20,784 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 58% of all-time use.
Theo births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 93
1880s
93 births
- 1890s 118
1890s
118 births
- 1900s 226
1900s
226 births
- 1910s 714
1910s
714 births
- 1920s 980
1920s
980 births
- 1930s 680
1930s
680 births
- 1940s 440
1940s
440 births
- 1950s 371
1950s
371 births
- 1960s 323
1960s
323 births
- 1970s 386
1970s
386 births
- 1980s 540
1980s
540 births
- 1990s 600
1990s
600 births
- 2000s 1,386
2000s
1,386 births
- 2010s 8,189
2010s
8,189 births
- 2020s
2020s
20,784 births
What this shows Peak: 2020s at 20,784 births (58% of all-time use).
How Theo compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Theo's total volume
Theo vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Theo by state
Where Theo concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 3,939 | 11.0% |
| #2 | Texas | | 2,273 | 6.3% |
| #3 | New York | | 2,258 | 6.3% |
| #4 | Florida | | 1,709 | 4.8% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 1,323 | 3.7% |
| #6 | Massachusetts | | 1,287 | 3.6% |
| #7 | Pennsylvania | | 1,222 | 3.4% |
| #8 | Ohio | | 1,099 | 3.1% |
California share of Theo's total US births 11.0%
Even split
3,939 of 35,830 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Theo appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Theo? ▼
Theo has been given to 35,830 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #80 as of the latest data. 4,140 babies were born in 2023, its single highest year.
When was Theo most popular? ▼
Theo was most popular in the 2020s decade with 20,784 total births. The single peak year was 2023.
Where is Theo most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Theo are California (3,939 births), Texas (2,273 births), New York (2,258 births).
Is Theo a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Theo is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 35,830 births, and as a girl's name it has 3,503 births.
How long has the name Theo been used? ▼
Theo has been recorded in Social Security data since 1880, spanning 146 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Theo? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Theodore, Theron, Theadore, Theophilus, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Theo's data
- California records the most Theos (3,939 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Theo
Nearby Names Like Theo
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Theo
Theodore Boy
#4 317,206 births
Theron Boy
#2837 12,960 births
Theadore Boy
#9912 4,005 births
Theophilus Boy
#2213 2,448 births
Theodis Boy
2,244 births
Compare Theo side by side: Theo vs Theodore Theo vs Theron Theo vs Theadore
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Theo
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Theo: #80 Unisex Name - 35,830 Births, Peak 2023." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/theo. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Theo draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.