Total births
2,216
Boys' name · since 1884
Theodor
Theodor has 2,216 recorded births since 1884 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2022 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #2101
- among boys today
- 2,216
- born since 1884
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 85%
- more common than other boys
Theodor currently ranks #2101 among boys' names in America, with 2,216 babies recorded since 1884.
Theodor has 2,216 recorded births among boys since 1884, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #2101 as of the latest data, more common than 85% of boys, busiest in the 2010s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1884 to 2025.
- #2101 among boys today
- 2,216 born since 1884
- 2010s peak decade
- 85% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Theodor is currently the #2101 boys' name in America, more common than 85% of boys - 2,216 born since 1884, peaking in the 2010s.
- #2101
- among boys today
- 2,216
- born since 1884
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 85%
- more common than other boys
Theodor vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#2101
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 85% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
22% of everyone ever named Theodor was born in this single decade.
2022
Single peak year
88 babies were named Theodor in 2022 - its busiest year on record.
How Theodor compares
2,216 Top 20% higher than 80% 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
Theodor's all-time total is 6x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Theodor | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,216 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 88 | 23 | 22,252 |
Theodor's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Theodor splits its recorded history at 1966: 68% of all births land in the more recent half, 32% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1884 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2022 peak of 88 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Theodor at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2022
Current rank
#2,101
Active since
1884
Theodor popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1884–2025
- Peak year (2022)
- 88
- Annual births at peak, across 142 years of records
Theodor by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Theodor's strongest decade.
492 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 22% of all-time use.
Theodor births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 10
1880s
10 births
- 1890s 6
1890s
6 births
- 1910s 110
1910s
110 births
- 1920s 139
1920s
139 births
- 1930s 120
1930s
120 births
- 1940s 113
1940s
113 births
- 1950s 139
1950s
139 births
- 1960s 124
1960s
124 births
- 1970s 79
1970s
79 births
- 1980s 98
1980s
98 births
- 1990s 127
1990s
127 births
- 2000s 189
2000s
189 births
- 2010s
2010s
492 births
- 2020s
2020s
470 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 492 births (22% of all-time use).
How Theodor 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 Theodor's total volume
Theodor vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Theodor by state
Where Theodor concentrates geographically, total births since 1884
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 130 | 5.9% |
| #2 | New York | | 85 | 3.8% |
| #3 | Texas | | 36 | 1.6% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 21 | 0.9% |
| #5 | Pennsylvania | | 21 | 0.9% |
| #6 | Washington | | 21 | 0.9% |
| #7 | Florida | | 10 | 0.5% |
| #8 | Massachusetts | | 10 | 0.5% |
California share of Theodor's total US births 5.9%
Even split
130 of 2,216 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 13 reporting states.
Theodor appears in 13 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Theodor? ▼
Since 1884, Social Security records show 2,216 babies named Theodor. Today it holds rank #2101 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 2022, with 88 births.
When was Theodor most popular? ▼
Theodor was most popular in the 2010s decade with 492 total births. The single peak year was 2022.
Where is Theodor most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Theodor are California (130 births), New York (85 births), Texas (36 births).
How long has the name Theodor been used? ▼
Theodor has been recorded in Social Security data since 1884, spanning 142 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Theodor? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Theodore, Theo, Theron, Theadore, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Theodor's data
- Theodor's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (492 total births) through the 2020s (470) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Theodors (130 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 Theodor
Nearby Names Like Theodor
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Theodor
Theodore Boy
#4 317,206 births
Theo Boy
#80 35,830 births
Theron Boy
#2837 12,960 births
Theadore Boy
#9912 4,005 births
Theophilus Boy
#2213 2,448 births
Compare Theodor side by side: Theodor vs Theodore Theodor vs Theo Theodor vs Theron
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Theodor
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, 1884–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Theodor: #2101 Boys' Name - 2,216 Births, Peak 2022." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/theodor. 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 Theodor 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.