Iain vs Theodor

Iain and Theodorcompared 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.

Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2007, Iain was ranked #435 and Theodor #629 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2021, Iain was ranked #3990 and Theodor #514 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Iain was ranked #727 and Theodor #727 among boys in Scotland.

Iain and Theodor over time

Iain and Theodor appear together in 1 published list, across 25 years of shared records. Theodor held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Iain in 0.

The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Iain reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Theodor in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.

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.

List by list

England and Wales · Boys25 shared years, 1996–2021
Iain held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Theodor in 13.
Highest recorded here: Iain #319 in 1996, Theodor #514 in 2021.
The order changed in 2010: Theodor moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #2126 and #2544; by 2010 that had become #3332 and #1201.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Iain #3990, Theodor #514.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Theodor

Pairs where Theodor shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Theodor vs Kristoffer
In Norway · Boys, Theodor moved into the top 50 at #33 in 2010 as Kristoffer fell out of it to #55, having been #34 the year before.
Theodor · Kristoffer · 44 shared years, 1948–2025 · One took the other's place near the top
See the 2010 Norway ranking
Theodor vs Mats
In Norway · Boys, Theodor moved into the top 50 at #37 in 2006 as Mats fell out of it to #59, having been #40 the year before.
Theodor · Mats · 43 shared years, 1978–2025 · One took the other's place near the top
See the 2006 Norway ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Iain, Theodor
Field	Iain	Theodor
Record type	Official statistical record (evidence-only)	Editorially researched profile
Gender usage	male	male
Meaning	Not yet recorded	The German form of Theodore, and a Scandinavian, Czech and Romanian variant of Teodor — from Greek 'theos' (god) and 'doron' (gift), 'gift of God'.
Origin	Not yet recorded	Greek roots, transmitted through German and Scandinavian naming traditions as a Teodor variant
Pronunciation	Not yet recorded	/ˈteː.o.doːɐ̯/
Syllables	1	2
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Recorded regional usage	GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE	GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO
Most recent popularity observation	Scotland · Boys #727 (2024)	Norway · Boys #11 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	95/100	82/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Theodor has a recorded origin (Greek roots, transmitted through German and Scandinavian naming traditions as a Teodor variant); Iain does not have one recorded yet.
Iain has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Theodor.
A meaning is recorded for Theodor; Iain doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.

How each name got here

Iain

Popularity journey

First recorded1965
First recorded at #250 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1965–2011
Highest recorded position: #186 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1988 (recorded 1965–2011).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2021
Most recently recorded at #3990 among boys in England and Wales, in 2021.
England and Wales · Boys

Theodor

Popularity journey

First recorded1948
First recorded at #363 among boys in Norway in 1948 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1948–2025
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in Norway, in 2024 (recorded 1948–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #11 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys