Elijah vs Theodore
Elijah and Theodorecompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Elijah was ranked #7 and Theodore #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Elijah was ranked #13 and Theodore #6 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Elijah was ranked #23 and Theodore #8 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Elijah was ranked #57 and Theodore #32 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Elijah was ranked #76 and Theodore #36 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Elijah was ranked #97 and Theodore #44 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Elijah and Theodore over time
Elijah and Theodore appear together in 5 published lists, across 89 years of shared records. Elijah held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Theodore in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 2 of the lists they share.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2021, Theodore moved ahead of Elijah in New Zealand · Boys — #11 and #15 the year before became #11 and #8.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Elijah and Theodore changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #23 and #8.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Elijah and Theodore averaged 34.8 places apart, ending at #23 and #8.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Elijah #23 in 2024, Theodore #8 in 2022.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Elijah held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Theodore in 22.
Highest recorded here: Elijah #23 in 2024, Theodore #8 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Elijah #23, Theodore #8.
Republic of Ireland · Boys23 shared years, 2002–2025
Elijah held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Theodore in 10.
Highest recorded here: Elijah #97 in 2025, Theodore #44 in 2025.
The order changed in 2017: Theodore moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #177 and #209; by 2017 that had become #162 and #156.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Elijah #97, Theodore #44.
Northern Ireland · Boys15 shared years, 2005–2024
Elijah held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Theodore in 4.
Highest recorded here: Elijah #52 in 2023, Theodore #32 in 2024.
The order changed in 2023: Theodore moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #53 and #57; by 2023 that had become #52 and #47.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Elijah #57, Theodore #32.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys11 shared years, 2015–2025
Elijah held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Theodore in 5.
Highest recorded here: Elijah #7 in 2025, Theodore #3 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Elijah #7, Theodore #3.
New Zealand · Boys11 shared years, 2013–2023
Elijah held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Theodore in 4.
Highest recorded here: Elijah #11 in 2020, Theodore #6 in 2022.
The order changed in 2021: Theodore moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #11 and #15; by 2021 that had become #11 and #8.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Elijah #13, Theodore #6.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Elijah | Theodore |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Traditionally rendered as 'my God is Yahweh', reflecting a common theophoric naming pattern in Hebrew. | Gift of God. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ɪˈlaɪdʒə/ | /ˈθiəˌdɔɹ/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Teddy |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #7 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #3 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Elijah is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Theodore is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Elijah and Theodore both have 3 syllables.
- Elijah's recorded meaning differs from Theodore's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Elijah a "medium" Data Confidence level and Theodore a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Elijah
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #312 among boys in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded2003–2025
Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025 (recorded 2003–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #7 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Theodore
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #214 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded2015–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2024 (recorded 2015–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys