Theodore is a masculine

given name A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a fa ...

. It comes from the Ancient Greek name Θεόδωρος (''Theódoros''), meaning "gift of God(s)" ( from the

Ancient Greek Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic pe ...

words θεός, (''theós'') "God/Gods" and δῶρον (''dṓron'') "gift".MFnames.com – Origin and Meaning of Theodore
/ref> The name was borne by several figures in ancient Greece, such as

Theodorus of Samos Theodorus of Samos () was a 6th-century BC ancient Greek sculptor and architect from the Greek island of Samos. Along with Rhoecus, he was often credited with the invention of ore smelting and, according to Pausanias, the craft of casting. He is ...

and Theodorus of Byzantium, but gained popularity due to the rise of

Christendom Christendom historically refers to the Christian states, Christian-majority countries and the countries in which Christianity dominates, prevails,SeMerriam-Webster.com : dictionary, "Christendom"/ref> or is culturally or historically intertwin ...

. In any form, it means "God(s)-given", or "gift of God/Gods", as do the given names Jonathan,

Nathaniel , nickname = {{Plainlist, * Nat * Nate , footnotes = Nathaniel is an English variant of the biblical Greek name Nathanael. People with the name Nathaniel * Nathaniel Archibald (1952–2018), American basketball player * Nat ...

Matthew Matthew may refer to: * Matthew (given name) * Matthew (surname) * ''Matthew'' (ship), the replica of the ship sailed by John Cabot in 1497 * ''Matthew'' (album), a 2000 album by rapper Kool Keith * Matthew (elm cultivar), a cultivar of the C ...

Ataullah Ataullah ( ar, عطا ٱلله) or the alternative Atallah is an Arabic given name meaning "gift of God", composed of '' Ata'' (''gift'') + ''Allah'' (''God''). It is also a surname to Middle Eastern Christians, derived from the Aramaic form ''Att ...

Devadatta Devadatta was by tradition a Buddhist monk, cousin and brother-in-law of Gautama Siddhārtha. The accounts of his life vary greatly, but he is generally seen as an evil and divisive figure in Buddhism, who led a breakaway group in the ea ...

, Dosetai,

Bogdan Bogdan or Bohdan (Cyrillic: Богдан) is a Slavic masculine name that appears in all Slavic countries as well as Romania and Moldova. It is derived from the Slavic words '' Bog/Boh'' (Cyrillic: Бог), meaning " god", and ''dan'' (Cyrill ...

, and Adeodatus. The feminine form of Theodore is Theodora. The names Dorothy and

Godiva Lady Godiva (; died between 1066 and 1086), in Old English , was a late Anglo-Saxon noblewoman who is relatively well documented as the wife of Leofric, Earl of Mercia, and a patron of various churches and monasteries. Today, she is mainly reme ...

also mean "gift of God(s)". In German, Theodore is the feminine form and the masculine form is Theodor. Although similar to, and probably influenced by it, the Germanic name

Theodoric Theodoric is a Germanic given name. First attested as a Gothic name in the 5th century, it became widespread in the Germanic-speaking world, not least due to its most famous bearer, Theodoric the Great, king of the Ostrogoths. Overview The name ...

(and variants Theodoricus, Dietrich, Thierry, and others) has a separate origin.

Variants

Diminutives

Hypocorisms A hypocorism ( or ; from Ancient Greek Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Myce ...

, calling names, or nicknames derived from Theodore can be:

People named Theodore

Ancient world

:''Ordered chronologically'' *

Theodore Stratelates Theodore Stratelates ( grc-gre, Ἅγιος Θεόδωρος ὁ Στρατηλάτης (); cop, ⲡⲓⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ Ⲑⲉⲟⲇⲱⲣⲟⲥ), also known as Theodore of Heraclea ( grc-gre, Θεόδωρος Ἡρακλείας; AD 281–319) ...

(died 319), Byzantine martyr and Warrior Saint *

Theodore of Mopsuestia Theodore of Mopsuestia (c. 350 – 428) was a Christian theologian, and Bishop of Mopsuestia (as Theodore II) from 392 to 428 AD. He is also known as Theodore of Antioch, from the place of his birth and presbyterate. He is the best known ...

(c. 350 – 428), Byzantine bishop * Theodore of Enaton, 5th-century Syrian Christian monk * Theodore of Pherme, 4th-century Egyptian Christian monk *

Theodore of Tarsus Theodore of Tarsus ( gr, Θεόδωρος Ταρσοῦ; 60219 September 690) was Archbishop of Canterbury from 668 to 690. Theodore grew up in Tarsus, but fled to Constantinople after the Persian Empire conquered Tarsus and other cities. After ...

(602–690), Archbishop of Canterbury *

Theodore (brother of Heraclius) Theodore ( la, Theodorus, el, Θεόδωρος; fl. c. 610 – 636) was the brother (or half-brother) of the Byzantine emperor Heraclius (r. 610–641), a '' curopalates'' and leading general in Heraclius' wars against the Persians and against th ...

(), Byzantine general *

Theodore Trithyrius Theodore Trithyrius ( el, Θεόδωρος Τριθύριος; died 636), commonly known by his title as Theodore the Sacellarius, was a Byzantine treasurer of the state (''sacellarius'') and a military commander during the last years of the reig ...

(died 636), Byzantine treasurer and military commander *

Pope Theodore I Pope Theodore I ( la, Theodorus I; died 14 May 649) was the bishop of Rome from 24 November 642 to his death. His pontificate was dominated by the struggle with Monothelitism. Early career According to the ''Liber Pontificalis'', Theodore was a ...

, Pope from 642 to 649 * Theodore I Calliopas, Exarch of Ravenna (643 – c. 645 and 653 – before 666) * Theodore Abu Qurrah (c. 750 – c. 823), Christian Arab theologian *

Theodore the Studite Theodore the Studite ( grc-x-medieval, Θεόδωρος ό Στουδίτης; 759–826), also known as Theodorus Studita and Saint Theodore of Stoudios/Studium, was a Byzantine Greek monk and abbot of the Stoudios Monastery in Constantinople. H ...

(759–826), Byzantine Greek monk and abbot * Pope Theodore II (840–897), Pope in 897 *

Theodore Prodromos Theodore Prodromos or Prodromus ( el, Θεόδωρος Πρόδρομος; c. 1100 – c. 1165/70), probably also the same person as the so-called Ptochoprodromos (Πτωχοπρόδρομος "Poor Prodromos"), was a Byzantine Greek writer, well ...

(c. 1100 – c. 1165), Byzantine writer and poet *

Theodore I Laskaris Theodore I Laskaris or Lascaris ( gr, Θεόδωρος Κομνηνὸς Λάσκαρις, Theodōros Komnēnos Laskaris; 1175November 1221) was the first emperor of Nicaea—a successor state of the Byzantine Empire—from 1205 to his de ...

(c. 1174 – c. 1222), first Emperor of Nicaea * Theodore Komnenos Doukas (died c. 1253), Emperor of Thessalonica *

Theodore II Laskaris Theodore II Doukas Laskaris or Ducas Lascaris ( gr, Θεόδωρος Δούκας Λάσκαρις, Theodōros Doukas Laskaris; 1221/1222 – 16 August 1258) was Emperor of Nicaea from 1254 to 1258. He was the only child of Emperor John II ...

(c. 1222 – 1258), Emperor of Nicaea *

Theodore Metochites Theodore Metochites ( el, Θεόδωρος Μετοχίτης; 1270–1332) was a Byzantine Greek statesman, author, gentleman philosopher, and patron of the arts. From c. 1305 to 1328 he held the position of personal adviser ('' mesazōn'') to e ...

(1270–1332), Byzantine statesman, author and philosopher * Theodore Svetoslav of Bulgaria, Tsar of Bulgaria from 1300 to 1322 *

Theodore I Palaiologos Theodore I Palaiologos (or Palaeologus) ( el, Θεόδωρος Α΄ Παλαιολόγος, translit=Theodōros I Palaiologos) (c. 1355 – 24 June 1407) was despot (''despotēs'') in the Morea from 1383 until his death on 24 June 1407. A son of Em ...

(c. 1355 – 1407), Byzantine despot * Theodore II Palaiologos (c. 1396 – 1448), Byzantine despot

Modern world

: ''Ordered by last name, where available; otherwise chronologically'' * Theodore I of Corsica (1694–1756), German adventurer who was briefly King of Corsica * Pope Theodoros II of Alexandria (born 1952), leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria * Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria (born 1954), Eastern Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria and all Africa * Theodore Bent (1852-1897), British archaeologist and explorer in the Levant, Africa, and Southern Arabia *

Theodore Beza Theodore Beza ( la, Theodorus Beza; french: Théodore de Bèze or ''de Besze''; June 24, 1519 – October 13, 1605) was a French Calvinist Protestant theologian, reformer and scholar who played an important role in the Protestant Reformatio ...

(1519–1605), French Protestant theologian and scholar * Theodore Bibliander (1509–1564), Swiss Orientalist, publisher and linguist *

Theodore Bikel Theodore Meir Bikel ( ; May 2, 1924 – July 21, 2015) was an Austrian-American actor, folk singer, musician, composer, unionist, and political activist. He appeared in films, including '' The African Queen'' (1951), '' Moulin Rouge'' (1952), ...

(1924–2015), Austrian-American actor, folksinger, composer and unionist * Teddy Bridgewater (born 1992), American football player * Theodore Bruback (1851–1904), American businessman * Theodore Bundy (1946-1989), prolific American serial killer, rapist, kidnapper, and necrophile * Theodore Cantor (1809–1860), Danish physician, zoologist and botanist * Theodore Conrad (1910–1994), American architect, preservationist and a leading architectural model maker * Theodore John Conrad (1949–2021), American fugitive *

Theodore Dreiser Theodore Herman Albert Dreiser (; August 27, 1871 – December 28, 1945) was an American novelist and journalist of the naturalist school. His novels often featured main characters who succeeded at their objectives despite a lack of a firm mora ...

(1871–1945), American novelist *

Theodore Freeman Theodore Cordy "Ted" Freeman (February 18, 1930 – October 31, 1964), was an American aeronautical engineer, U.S. Air Force officer, test pilot, and NASA astronaut. Selected in the third group of NASA astronauts in 1963, he was killed a year ...

(1930–1964), American aeronautical engineer, test pilot and NASA astronaut * Theodore Frelinghuysen (1787–1862), American politician * Theodore Fyfe (1875–1945), Scottish architect *

Théodore Géricault Jean-Louis André Théodore Géricault (; 26 September 1791 – 26 January 1824) was a French painter and lithographer, whose best-known painting is '' The Raft of the Medusa''. Although he died young, he was one of the pioneers of the Romant ...

(1791-1824), French Romantic painter *

Theodore Gill Theodore Nicholas Gill (March 21, 1837 – September 25, 1914) was an American ichthyologist, mammalogist, malacologist and librarian. Career Born and educated in New York City under private tutors, Gill early showed interest in natural histor ...

(1837–1914), American zoologist and librarian * Theodore Hall (1925–1999), American physicist and atomic spy for the Soviet Union *

Theodore Kaczynski Theodore John Kaczynski ( ; born May 22, 1942), also known as the Unabomber (), is an American domestic terrorist and former mathematics professor. Between 1978 and 1995, Kaczynski killed three people and injured 23 others in a nationwide ...

(born 1942), American letter bomber *

Theodore von Kármán Theodore von Kármán ( hu, ( szőllőskislaki) Kármán Tódor ; born Tivadar Mihály Kármán; 11 May 18816 May 1963) was a Hungarian-American mathematician, aerospace engineer, and physicist who was active primarily in the fields of aeronau ...

(1881–1963), Hungarian-American mathematician, aerospace engineer and physicist *

Theodore Katsanevas Theodore Katsanevas ( el, Θεόδωρος Κατσανέβας; 13 March 1947 – 8 May 2021) was a Greek academic and politician. He was a member of the Hellenic Parliament, Greek Parliament from 1989 to 2004 for the Panhellenic Socialist Movem ...

(1947–2021), Greek academic and politician *

Theodoros Kolokotronis Theodoros Kolokotronis ( el, Θεόδωρος Κολοκοτρώνης; 3 April 1770 – 4 February 1843) was a Greek general and the pre-eminent leader of the Greek War of Independence (1821–1829) against the Ottoman Empire. Kolokotronis's ...

(1770-1843), Greek General and pre-eminent leader of the Greek War of Independence (1821-1829) against the Ottoman Empire. *

Theodore Levitt Theodore Levitt (March 1, 1925 – June 28, 2006) was a German-born American economist and a professor at the Harvard Business School. He was editor of the ''Harvard Business Review'', noted for increasing the Review's circulation and popularizin ...

(1925–2006), American economist *

Theodore Long Theodore Robert Rufus Long (born September 15, 1947) is an American former professional referee and manager known for his work for WWE and WCW serving as an on-screen authority figure. Long began his career in the National Wrestling Alliance ...

(born 1947), American professional wrestling personality * Theodore Lyman (1874–1954), American physicist and spectroscopist *

Theodore Maiman Theodore Harold Maiman (July 11, 1927 – May 5, 2007) was an American engineer and physicist who is widely credited with the invention of the laser.Johnson, John Jr. (May 11, 2008). "Theodore H. Maiman, at age 32; scientist created the first LA ...

(1927–2007), American engineer and physicist, inventor of the laser * Theodore Edgar McCarrick (born 1930), American Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church *

Ted Nugent Theodore Anthony Nugent (; born December 13, 1948) is an American rock musician and activist. He initially gained fame as the lead guitarist and occasional lead vocalist of The Amboy Dukes, a band formed in 1963 that played psychedelic rock an ...

(born 1948), American rock musician and gun advocate * Theodore Odza (1915–1998), American visual artist * Theodore Braybrooke Panabokke (1909-1989), Sri Lankan Sinhala politician, lawyer, and diplomat *

Theodore Parker Theodore Parker (August 24, 1810 – May 10, 1860) was an American transcendentalist and reforming minister of the Unitarian church. A reformer and abolitionist, his words and popular quotations would later inspire speeches by Abraham Lincoln ...

(1810–1860), American Transcendentalist and reforming minister of the Unitarian church * Theodore Duncan Perera, Sri Lankan Sinhala civil servant *

Theodore William Richards Theodore William Richards (January 31, 1868 – April 2, 1928) was the first American scientist to receive the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, earning the award "in recognition of his exact determinations of the atomic weights of a large number of the ...

(1868–1928), American physical chemist * Theodore Roberts (1861–1928), American film and stage actor * Theodore Robinson (1852–1896), American Impressionist painter *

Theodore Roethke Theodore Huebner Roethke ( ; May 25, 1908 – August 1, 1963) was an American poet. He is regarded as one of the most accomplished and influential poets of his generation, having won the Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 1954 for his book '' The ...

(1908–1963), American poet *

Theodore Romzha Theodore George Romzha ( uk, Теодор Юрій Ромжа, hu, Romzsa Tódor György, 14 April 1911 – 31 October 1947) was the bishop of the Ruthenian Catholic Eparchy of Mukacheve from 1944 to 1947. Assassinated by the NKVD, he was b ...

(1911–1947), Ukrainian Ruthenian Catholic bishop *

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...

(1858–1919), 26th President of the United States *

Theodore Roosevelt Sr. Theodore Roosevelt Sr. (September 22, 1831 – February 9, 1878) was an American businessman and philanthropist from the Roosevelt family. Roosevelt was also the father of President Theodore Roosevelt and the paternal grandfather of First Lady ...

(1831-1878), American businessman and philanthropist *

Theodore Roosevelt Jr. Theodore Roosevelt III ( ), often known as Theodore Jr.Morris, Edmund (1979). ''The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt''. index.While it was President Theodore Roosevelt who was legally named Theodore Roosevelt Jr., the President's fame made it simple ...

(1887–1944), American government, business and military leader *

Theodore Roosevelt III Theodore Roosevelt IV ( ) (June 14, 1914 – May 2, 2001), also known as Theodore III, was an American banker, government official, and veteran of World War II. He was a grandson of President Theodore Roosevelt through his father, Brig. Gen. The ...

(1914-2001), American banker * Theodore Roosevelt IV or Theodore Roosevelt V (born 1945), American investment banker *

Theodore Roszak (scholar) Theodore Roszak (November 15, 1933 – July 5, 2011) was an American academic and novelist who concluded his academic career as Professor Emeritus of history at California State University, East Bay. He is best known for his 1969 text '' The M ...

(1933–2011), American historian, sociologist and novelist *

Ted Sampley Theodore Lane Sampley (July 17, 1946 – May 12, 2009) was an American Vietnam War veteran and activist. He primarily advocated for those servicemembers still considered missing in action or prisoners of war (POW-MIA) as of the end of hostiliti ...

(1946–2009), American POW/MIA activist *

Theodore Schultz Theodore William Schultz (; 30 April 1902 – 26 February 1998) was an American Agricultural economist and chairman of the University of Chicago Department of Economics. Schultz rose to national prominence after winning the 1979 Nobel Memorial ...

(1902–1998), American economist *

Theodore Shapiro Theodore Michael Shapiro (born September 29, 1971) is an American composer best known for his film scores. He is a frequent collaborator of directors Ben Stiller, Paul Feig, Jay Roach, Karyn Kusama, and Rawson Marshall Thurber, and won the ...

(born 1971), American film composer * Theodore Sorensen (1928–2010), American lawyer, writer, and presidential adviser *

Ted Stevens Theodore Fulton Stevens Sr. (November 18, 1923 – August 9, 2010) was an American politician and lawyer who served as a U.S. Senator from Alaska from 1968 to 2009. He was the longest-serving Republican Senator in history at the time he left ...

, American former Senator from Alaska *

Theodore Sturgeon Theodore Sturgeon (; born Edward Hamilton Waldo, February 26, 1918 – May 8, 1985) was an American fiction author of primarily fantasy, science fiction and horror, as well as a critic. He wrote approximately 400 reviews and more than 120 sh ...

(1918–1985), American science fiction author * Theodore Tannenwald Jr. (1916–1999), judge of the United States Tax Court *

Theodore Thomas (conductor) Theodore Thomas (October 11, 1835January 4, 1905) was a German-American violinist, conductor, and orchestrator of German birth. He is considered the first renowned American orchestral conductor and was the founder and first music director of th ...

(1835–1905), American violinist and conductor * Theodore Van Kirk (1921–2014), American navigator of the Enola Gay *

Ted Williams Theodore Samuel Williams (August 30, 1918 – July 5, 2002) was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 19-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career, primarily as a left fielder, for the Boston Red Sox from 19 ...

(1918–2002), American baseball player *

Teddy Wilson Theodore Shaw Wilson (November 24, 1912 – July 31, 1986) was an American jazz pianist. Described by critic Scott Yanow as "the definitive swing pianist", Wilson had a sophisticated, elegant style. His work was featured on the records of man ...

(1912–1986), American jazz pianist * Theodore H. Winters Jr. (1913–2008), American flying ace during World War II * Guy Theodore Sebastian, Malaysian-Australian singer * Theodore Taylor (1921-2006), American writer * Tewodros II Ge'ez (ዳግማዊ ቴዎድሮስ) (1818–1868), Emperor of Ethiopia from 1855 until his death in 1868

References