Timothy

TIH-muh-thee

The name Timothy comes from the Greek Timotheos (Τιμόθεος), a compound of timē (“honor”) and theos (“god”), giving the meaning “honoring God” or “honored by God.” The theophoric structure places it in a large family of Greek names ending in -theos,

US Rank

No. 208

Births

1,708

Peak Year

1960

such as Dorotheos (Dorothy) and Theophilos.

The name’s prominence rests chiefly on Saint Timothy of Ephesus (died around 97 CE), a young companion of the apostle Paul and recipient of the 2 Pauline epistles 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy in the New Testament.

What the name Timothy means

According to tradition, Timothy served as the first bishop of Ephesus and was martyred there for opposing a pagan festival. His feast day is celebrated on January 26 in the Western Church.

Timothy was rarely used in the medieval West but was revived by English Puritans in the 16th and 17th centuries, who favored New Testament names.

It appears in English literature through Thomas Hardy’s character Timothy Fairway in The Return of the Native (1878) and John Updike’s novels.

The name also entered scientific vocabulary through Anthemis tinctoria and the grass species Phleum pratense, known as timothy-grass after farmer Timothy Hanson, who cultivated it in early 18th century America.

In the United States, Timothy was among the top 20 boys’ names from the 1950s through the 1970s, peaking at rank 11 in 1966.

It has since declined gradually but remains steadily inside the top 200, making it one of the most durable Christian names in American history. Short forms include Tim and Timmy. The name is equally used in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia.

Notable bearers include actor Timothy Dalton, software pioneer Tim Berners-Lee, and actor Timothée Chalamet, whose French spelling has inspired a recent uptick in the traditional form.