Theophilus
Boy name · #2392 in 2025 · Uniqueness 64/100
Theophilus is currently the #2392 boy name in the United States — 57 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #3299, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 31,579 boys born in 2025 was named Theophilus.
The 143-year story
Theophilus first appears in the Social Security records in 1882, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2022, with 68 babies and a rank of #2150. 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.
Babies named Theophilus per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Theophilus against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Theophilus in class?
Theophilus scores 64 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Theophilus is most common
State-level data for Theophilus is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Theophilus
Statistically, parents drawn to Theophilus tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Marcellus, Leviticus, Nicodemus, Theodoros, and Ignatius.
MarcellusLeviticusNicodemusTheodorosIgnatiusKlausThompsonJohannes
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Theophilus | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 57 | #2390 |
| 2024 | 65 | #2210 |
| 2023 | 63 | #2244 |
| 2022 | 68 | #2150 |
| 2021 | 44 | #2819 |
| 2020 | 43 | #2806 |
| 2019 | 42 | #2897 |
| 2018 | 49 | #2579 |
| 2017 | 40 | #2951 |
| 2016 | 48 | #2587 |
| 2015 | 34 | #3299 |
| 2014 | 39 | #2929 |
| 2013 | 38 | #2955 |
| 2012 | 36 | #3115 |
| 2011 | 18 | #4983 |
| 2010 | 16 | #5478 |
| 2009 | 17 | #5334 |
| 2008 | 19 | #4901 |
| 2007 | 26 | #3893 |
| 2006 | 17 | #5072 |
| 2005 | 24 | #3815 |
| 2004 | 17 | #4793 |
| 2003 | 27 | #3366 |
| 2002 | 20 | #4044 |
| 2001 | 16 | #4676 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Theophilus a popular boy name?
Theophilus ranked #2392 among boys in 2025 with 57 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3299.
When was the name Theophilus most popular?
Theophilus peaked in 2022, when 68 American boys received the name (ranked #2150 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Theophilus?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 31,579 newborn American boys was named Theophilus. It scores 64/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
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.