Jo vs Theodor

Jo 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.

Norway · Boys
In 2025, Jo was ranked #319 and Theodor #11 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2022, Jo was ranked #4001 and Theodor #640 among boys in England and Wales.

Jo and Theodor over time

Jo and Theodor appear together in 2 published lists, across 61 years of shared records. Theodor held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Jo in 0.

The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Jo reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 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.

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 1997, Theodor moved ahead of Jo in Norway · Boys — #254 and #263 the year before became #228 and #161.
Repeatedly exchanged positions
Jo and Theodor changed places 5 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2022, ending at #4001 and #640.
Longest-running competitions
Jo and Theodor were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 44 years, from 1948 to 2025, ending at #319 and #11.

List by list

Norway · Boys44 shared years, 1948–2025
Jo held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Theodor in 30.
Highest recorded here: Jo #156 in 1989, Theodor #8 in 2024.
The order changed in 1997: Theodor moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #254 and #263; by 1997 that had become #228 and #161.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jo #319, Theodor #11.
England and Wales · Boys17 shared years, 1996–2022
Jo held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Theodor in 10.
Highest recorded here: Jo #1703 in 2000, Theodor #514 in 2021.
The order changed in 2011: Theodor moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #2318 and #2544; by 2011 that had become #4647 and #1522.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Jo #4001, Theodor #640.

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 Jo, Theodor
Field	Jo	Theodor
Record type	Official statistical record (evidence-only)	Editorially researched profile
Gender usage	Used for both boys and girls	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, IE, NO	GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO
Most recent popularity observation	Norway · Boys #319 (2025)	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); Jo does not have one recorded yet.
Jo has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Theodor.
A meaning is recorded for Theodor; Jo doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE, NO.

How each name got here

Jo

Popularity journey

First recorded1945
First recorded at #301 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #96 among boys in Norway, in 1966 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #319 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · 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