Timothy Name Meaning

The name Timothy is of Greek origin and it means “honoring God” or “in God’s honor.” The name Timothy comes from the Greek name Timotheos, which is a combination of the words “time” meaning “honor” and “theos” meaning “God.”

History of the Name Timothy

The name Timothy has been around for centuries, dating all the way back to the Bible. In the New Testament, Timothy was a close companion of the apostle Paul and is mentioned in several of Paul’s letters. He is considered one of the most prominent figures in the early Christian Church and is often referred to as the “disciple of Paul.”

The Popularity of Timothy

Despite its ancient roots and biblical associations, the name Timothy has remained consistently popular throughout the centuries. In the United States, it was a top 100 name for most of the 20th century, reaching its peak popularity in the 1940s, when it was the 25th most popular name for boys.

In recent years, the name has seen a decline in popularity, but it still remains a popular choice for parents. In 2020, Timothy was the 437th most popular boy’s name in the United States.

In more recent history, the name Timothy has been borne by many notable figures, such as:

  • Timothy Leary, a psychologist and writer who was a leading proponent of the use of psychedelic drugs in the 1960s.
  • Timothy Dalton, a Welsh actor who played James Bond in two films in the late 1980s.
  • Timothy Olyphant, an American actor known for his roles in “Deadwood,” “Justified,” and “Santa Clarita Diet.”

Final Thoughts on the Name Timothy

Timothy may not be the most unique or trendy name, but it has a rich history and a meaningful origin. It’s a classic name that has stood the test of time and has been borne by many notable figures throughout history. And with its biblical connections and Greek meaning of “honoring God,” it’s a name that carries a sense of reverence and respect. And even though it’s not as popular as it used to be, it’s still a name that’s chosen by many parents. Overall, Timothy is a solid choice for parents looking for a timeless, traditional name with a strong meaning.

Infographic of Timothy name meaning, which is Timothy is a Greek name meaning honoring God.
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Timothy Name Popularity

How popular is the name Timothy? Here’s everything we know.

Year Rank # Births % Births
1910 287 37 0.0105%
1911 289 46 0.0124%
1912 360 73 0.0145%
1913 340 108 0.019%
1914 367 126 0.0181%
1915 338 205 0.0226%
1916 353 196 0.0203%
1917 350 210 0.021%
1918 350 231 0.0215%
1919 364 206 0.0197%
1920 363 231 0.0208%
1921 396 194 0.0169%
1922 346 249 0.0224%
1923 334 266 0.0237%
1924 325 281 0.0242%
1925 328 277 0.0245%
1926 363 222 0.0202%
1927 324 280 0.0253%
1928 347 230 0.0215%
1929 333 241 0.0233%
1930 316 258 0.0247%
1931 305 297 0.0301%
1932 299 310 0.0314%
1933 290 306 0.0328%
1934 303 286 0.0296%
1935 283 326 0.0335%
1936 256 391 0.0406%
1937 193 622 0.0631%
1938 167 848 0.0828%
1939 153 1,034 0.1017%
1940 134 1,360 0.128%
1941 122 1,608 0.1429%
1942 108 2,269 0.1797%
1943 99 2,569 0.1968%
1944 92 2,740 0.2211%
1945 69 3,586 0.294%
1946 60 5,152 0.3492%
1947 52 6,742 0.4039%
1948 38 8,035 0.5033%
1949 34 9,338 0.5805%
1950 32 10,505 0.6524%
1951 28 12,706 0.7494%
1952 27 14,173 0.8119%
1953 26 15,176 0.8575%
1954 26 17,436 0.9538%
1955 22 20,735 1.1273%
1956 19 23,268 1.232%
1957 19 24,726 1.2849%
1958 13 28,761 1.5218%
1959 12 30,752 1.6186%
1960 11 30,484 1.6089%
1961 15 28,241 1.4959%
1962 16 27,088 1.4755%
1963 15 27,194 1.515%
1964 15 28,104 1.5966%
1965 12 28,344 1.7332%
1966 11 28,933 1.8531%
1967 11 28,588 1.8838%
1968 13 26,511 1.7655%
1969 17 23,371 1.517%
1970 20 22,437 1.4099%
1971 21 20,095 1.3373%
1972 21 17,608 1.2928%
1973 22 16,052 1.2382%
1974 22 15,893 1.2228%
1975 22 15,957 1.2418%
1976 21 16,630 1.2903%
1977 18 17,981 1.334%
1978 17 19,605 1.4582%
1979 18 19,082 1.3533%
1980 20 19,154 1.31%
1981 24 18,226 1.2399%
1982 25 17,463 1.1686%
1983 26 16,363 1.1089%
1984 26 16,994 1.1424%
1985 26 17,141 1.1293%
1986 27 16,873 1.1178%
1987 26 17,390 1.1396%
1988 25 16,802 1.0782%
1989 28 16,425 1.0179%
1990 30 15,688 0.9465%
1991 32 14,149 0.8681%
1992 34 12,856 0.8054%
1993 38 11,635 0.7463%
1994 39 10,767 0.7016%
1995 40 9,787 0.6494%
1996 40 8,918 0.5956%
1997 43 8,503 0.5749%
1998 49 7,845 0.5241%
1999 49 7,590 0.5068%
2000 58 7,260 0.4753%
2001 66 6,416 0.4258%
2002 70 6,017 0.4015%
2003 76 5,479 0.3601%
2004 79 5,228 0.343%
2005 84 5,024 0.3286%
2006 93 4,701 0.3002%
2007 99 4,434 0.281%
2008 107 4,088 0.2645%
2009 109 3,754 0.2512%
2010 114 3,440 0.2387%
2011 122 3,226 0.2264%
2012 118 3,104 0.2178%
2013 124 3,040 0.2135%
2014 134 3,005 0.2063%
2015 147 2,780 0.1911%
2016 152 2,644 0.1834%
2017 163 2,388 0.1711%
2018 164 2,325 0.1692%
2019 187 2,057 0.1519%
2020 191 1,957 0.1537%
2021 199 1,893 0.1549%
2022 203 1,812 0.1374%

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Data via SSA.gov.


Names Like Timothy

If you like Timothy, you’ll love these other names like Timothy.


What names are diminutives of Timothy?

A diminutive is a name that’s like Timothy sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Timothy, but shorter.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Tim

God's honor

Greek


What names are variants of Timothy?

Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Timothy.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Tim

God's honor

Greek

Timmo

God's honor

Greek

Timmothy

God's honor

Greek

Timmy

God's honor

Greek

Timo

God's honor

Greek

Timofei

God's honor

Greek

Timofeo

God's honor

Greek

Timofey

God's honor

Greek

Timon

Respect

Greek

Timoteo

God's honor

Greek

Timothe

God's honor

Greek

Timotheo

God's honor

Greek

Timotheus

God's honor

Greek

Timothey

God's honor

Greek

Tymmothy

God's honor

Greek

Tymon

God's honor

Greek

Tymoteusz

God's honor

Greek

Tymothy

God's honor

Greek


What names are similar to Timothy?

Find a name that’s like Timothy, but just a little bit different.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Tighe

Irish


Lists With Timothy

Find inspiration in these baby boy name lists featuring the name Timothy.


Siblings of Timothy

Mamas with kids named Timothy also have kids with these names.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Jonathan

God has given

Hebrew

Alison

Noble one

German

Isaiah

God is salvation

Hebrew

Micky

Who resembles God?

Hebrew

13 Comments

  1. Timothy means taking seriously the instructions of his Father and running seriously with the aim

  2. My husband and I chose Timothy Michael as our son’s first and middle names to honor our own fathers. Unfortunately our guy will never have a chance to meet his grandpa Tim who passed away 3 years ago, so this was our way of honoring his legacy and giving him a strong Christian name to grow into.

  3. It means to honor God! We hope and pray that this sweet Timothy will be a light for the Kingdom someday… what a blessing he has already been!

  4. Traditional, easy to pronounce, and something my husband and I could agree on.

  5. I honestly love the name Timothy..it’s classic and has a beautiful sound.and as a christian.i would love to name my baby boy Timothy.

  6. NAMED AFTER HIS DAD AND GRANDPA

  7. We are from Slovakia and we were looking for name which is similar in alovakian and English as well. So we chose Timotej as it’s really similar to Timothy in uk.

  8. My husband actually named my son, but I live the name because it’s a classic name. I also love that it’s a name in the bible, like my other son Isaiah.

  9. We choose the name Timothy because we decided to name our last baby boy we are having after my husband. My husbands name is Timothy.

  10. It’s his grandfathers name.

  11. My baby is named Timothy for two reasons. He’s named after Timothy in the Bible. I just think the name is classic and will never go out of style. His middle name is James, so he has many possibilities for nicknames, but he can also just feel comfortable going by his first name.

  12. It’s my fathers name and I love it!

  13. We wanted a name representative of being a strong spiritual leader. We named him after the Bible Character Timothy. We nicknamed him Timo because he ended up being born on Australia Day!


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