unisex name · in the US
Teddy
TED-ee (English)
- Origin English
- Gender Unisex (US)
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Top 100 (E&W)
- Births on record 83,375
England and Wales
#34
2025 births
Teddy is a boy's name that shortens either Edward, meaning "wealthy guardian," or Theodore, meaning "gift of God." The two are unrelated, so the meaning depends entirely on which name it stands for — and it is now given as a full name to children named neither.
- Teddy is a name of English origin.
- Peaked in US records in 1949, when 637 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1940s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival in US records.
- Today about 1 in 385 babies in England and Wales is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1890.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Teddy Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1890s to 2020s. Teddy is more popular in England and Wales — see the country table below. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 18 |
| 1900s | 179 |
| 1910s | 1,244 |
| 1920s | 3,128 |
| 1930s | 4,614 |
| 1940s | 5,485 |
| 1950s | 5,637 |
| 1960s | 5,380 |
| 1970s | 3,067 |
| 1980s | 2,005 |
| 1990s | 1,302 |
| 2000s | 808 |
| 2010s | 959 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 1,576 |
What Teddy Means
Teddy means wealthy guardian when it comes from Edward, and gift of God when it comes from Theodore. There is no third meaning of its own, which is why reference works list two.
Where Teddy Comes From
Teddy has two possible parents. Edward, from the Old English ead, wealth, and weard, guard, produces Ed, then Ted through the medieval habit of swapping the initial letter of a rhyming pet form — the same process that made Bob from Rob. Theodore, from the Greek theos, god, and doron, gift, gives Theo and Ted directly. Theodore Roosevelt supplied the association most people know: after he refused to shoot a tethered bear in 1902, a Brooklyn shopkeeper named a stuffed bear after him, and the teddy bear has carried the name ever since.
Teddy in Use
Birth records mark Teddy as reviving, peaking in 1949, now at 34 in England and Wales against 823 in the United States. It first appears in birth records in 1890. The teddy bear association is nearly always read as warmth rather than childishness, which is unusual for a name attached to a toy.
How Popular Is Teddy?
In 2025, Teddy was given to 1,367 babies in England and Wales, ranking #34 that year. It is one of the most popular names in England and Wales.
Where Teddy Is Used
England and Wales figures withhold any name given to fewer than three babies in a year. The historical chart above uses US records, the only series running back to 1880. Data & sources.
How Teddy Is Spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Téddy | Téddy is a rare spelling of Teddy, written with an acute accent and recorded about 5 times, mostly in France. | 5 |
Names That Peaked Alongside Teddy
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Teddy Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Teddy over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Boys' or Girls' Name?
Teddy is used differently depending on where you are. Each figure is the share of babies given the name who were girls, over the last ten years of that country's records.
- England & Wales Boys' 1% girls · 16,669 babies
- United States Both 17% girls · 2,049 babies
- Ireland Boys' 0% girls · 648 babies
- Scotland Boys' 0% girls · 526 babies
- France Boys' 0% girls · 480 babies
- Northern Ireland Boys' 0% girls · 327 babies
- Canada Both 15% girls · 222 babies
How to Say Teddy
- English TED-ee /ˈtɛdi/
1 nickname for Teddy
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Teddy in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling Names for Teddy
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Teddy — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Teddy
What does the name Teddy mean?
"Wealthy guardian" if it stands for Edward, or "gift of God" if it stands for Theodore. The two names are unrelated.
Is Teddy short for Edward or Theodore?
Either — and increasingly neither, since it is now registered as a full name in its own right in Britain.
Why is a teddy bear called a teddy?
After Theodore Roosevelt, who refused to shoot a tethered bear in 1902. A Brooklyn shopkeeper named a stuffed bear after him.
How popular is the name Teddy?
In 2025, Teddy was given to 1,367 babies in England and Wales, ranking #34 that year. It is one of the most popular names in England and Wales.
Is Teddy a girl's or a boy's name?
Teddy is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Teddy?
Teddy has 2 syllables.
When was Teddy most popular?
Teddy peaked in 1949, when 637 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1940s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
What are the nicknames for Teddy?
Teddy is usually shortened to Ted.
Is Teddy a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Teddy currently ranks #34 in the United States. After peaking in the 1940s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.