boy's name
Timothy
TIM-o-thee
- Origin Greek
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 3
- Letters 7
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 1,113,673
the United States
#203
2025 births
Timothy is a boy's name of Greek origin meaning "honoring God." It comes from timao, to honor, and theos, God, and belongs to the young companion Paul addresses two New Testament letters to.
- Timothy is a name of Greek origin.
- Peaked in 1959, when 30,862 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 1,912 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 3 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Timothy over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 693 |
| 1890s | 650 |
| 1900s | 647 |
| 1910s | 1,918 |
| 1920s | 2,978 |
| 1930s | 5,133 |
| 1940s | 43,624 |
| 1950s | 198,780 |
| 1960s | 277,906 |
| 1970s | 182,362 |
| 1980s | 174,003 |
| 1990s | 108,015 |
| 2000s | 52,573 |
| 2010s | 28,254 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 10,984 |
What Timothy means
Timothy means one who honors God, or God's honor. The Greek verb timao means to value or hold in esteem, so the name describes an attitude toward God rather than a quality God confers.
Where Timothy comes from
Timothy transliterates the Greek Timotheos, from timao, to honor, and theos, God. Timothy was a young companion of Paul, converted at Lystra, and the two letters addressed to him are among the most quoted in Christian pastoral writing. The name was rare in England until the Reformation brought New Testament names into use. It is unrelated to the grass called timothy, which is named after Timothy Hanson, an eighteenth-century American farmer who promoted it.
Timothy in use
Our data shows Timothy falling, peaking in 1959, at 203 in the United States against 418 in England and Wales. It first appears in our records in 1880 and has never dropped out. Its 1959 peak places it with Peter, David and Michael — the cohort of biblical boys' names that dominated the 1950s.
How popular is Timothy?
In 2025, Timothy was given to 1,734 babies in the United States, ranking #203 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Timothy is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Timothy
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Timothy also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Timothy over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
2 nicknames for Timothy
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.
Timothy 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 Timothy
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Timothy — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Timothy
What does the name Timothy mean?
Timothy means "honoring God," from the Greek timao, to honor, and theos, God.
Who was Timothy in the Bible?
A young companion of Paul, converted at Lystra, to whom two New Testament letters are addressed.
Is timothy grass named after the name?
After a person — Timothy Hanson, an eighteenth-century American farmer who promoted the crop.
How popular is the name Timothy?
In 2025, Timothy was given to 1,734 babies in the United States, ranking #203 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Timothy a girl's or a boy's name?
Timothy is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Timothy?
Timothy has 3 syllables.
When was Timothy most popular?
Timothy peaked in 1959, when 30,862 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Timothy?
Timothy is usually shortened to Tim and Timmy.
Is Timothy a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Timothy currently ranks #203 in the United States. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.