Theo
Boy name · #82 in 2025 · Uniqueness 18/100
Theo ranks #82 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 3,945 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #405, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 456 boys born in 2025 was named Theo.
Babies named Theo per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Theo first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 9 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2023, with 4,140 babies and a rank of #78. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Theo against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Theo in class?
Theo scores 18 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "popular" band. A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Theo is most common
Geography matters for names, and Theo is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Theos were CA (484), TX (315), FL (258), NY (258), PA (161). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Theo
Statistically, parents drawn to Theo tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Enzo, Thiago, Milo, Arlo, and Luka.
EnzoThiagoMiloArloLukaTadeoAtlasMatteo
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Theo | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,945 | #82 |
| 2024 | 4,129 | #80 |
| 2023 | 4,140 | #78 |
| 2022 | 3,642 | #98 |
| 2021 | 2,703 | #142 |
| 2020 | 2,225 | #172 |
| 2019 | 2,018 | #195 |
| 2018 | 1,554 | #243 |
| 2017 | 1,232 | #290 |
| 2016 | 952 | #354 |
| 2015 | 765 | #405 |
| 2014 | 550 | #509 |
| 2013 | 365 | #663 |
| 2012 | 287 | #790 |
| 2011 | 245 | #863 |
| 2010 | 221 | #914 |
| 2009 | 187 | #1032 |
| 2008 | 188 | #1019 |
| 2007 | 191 | #1012 |
| 2006 | 156 | #1116 |
| 2005 | 139 | #1150 |
| 2004 | 133 | #1172 |
| 2003 | 109 | #1291 |
| 2002 | 98 | #1346 |
| 2001 | 84 | #1460 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Theo a popular boy name?
Theo ranked #82 among boys in 2025 with 3,945 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #405.
When was the name Theo most popular?
Theo peaked in 2023, when 4,140 American boys received the name (ranked #78 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Theo?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 456 newborn American boys was named Theo. It scores 18/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "popular".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.