Theo vs Theodore
Theo 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, Theo was ranked #32 and Theodore #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Theo was ranked #4 and Theodore #36 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Theo was ranked #5 and Theodore #32 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Theo was ranked #19 and Theodore #6 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Theo was ranked #12 and Theodore #8 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Theo was ranked #21 and Theodore #44 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Theo and Theodore over time
Theo and Theodore appear together in 4 published lists, across 80 years of shared records. Theo held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Theodore in 1.
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.
Theo reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Theodore in 1. 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.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Theo and Theodore averaged 33.7 places apart, ending at #12 and #8.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Theo #9 in 2022, Theodore #8 in 2022.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Theo held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Theodore in 9.
Highest recorded here: Theo #9 in 2022, Theodore #8 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Theo #12, Theodore #8.
Republic of Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 1988–2025
Theo held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Theodore in 0.
Highest recorded here: Theo #13 in 2024, Theodore #44 in 2025.
The order changed in 2002: Theo moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #319 and #319; by 2002 that had become #313 and #451.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Theo #21, Theodore #44.
Northern Ireland · Boys17 shared years, 2001–2024
Theo held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Theodore in 0.
Highest recorded here: Theo #4 in 2022, Theodore #32 in 2024.
The order changed in 2005: Theo moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #299 and #299; by 2005 that had become #265 and #307.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Theo #5, Theodore #32.
New Zealand · Boys10 shared years, 2014–2023
Theo held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Theodore in 10.
Highest recorded here: Theo #19 in 2023, Theodore #6 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Theo #19, 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 | Theo | Theodore |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Gift of God. | Gift of God. |
| Origin | Greek, via Theodore/Theodora | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈθioʊ/ | /ˈθiəˌdɔɹ/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Teddy | Teddy |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #21 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #3 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | high |
What the data shows
- Theo is recorded with a Greek, via Theodore/Theodora origin, while Theodore is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Theo has 1 syllable, compared with 3 for Theodore.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Theo
Popularity journey
First recorded1986
First recorded at #637 among boys in Norway in 1986 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded2001–2024
Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2022 (recorded 2001–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #32 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