Timothy Name Meaning, Origin, Popularity, Boy Names Like Timothy

Timothy Name Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: tih-mah-th(ee)
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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.

Timothy Name Popularity

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

Year	Rank	# Births	% Births
1910	—	37	0.0105%
1911	—	46	0.0124%
1912	—	73	0.0145%
1913	—	108	0.019%
1914	—	126	0.0181%
1915	—	205	0.0226%
1916	—	196	0.0203%
1917	—	210	0.021%
1918	—	231	0.0215%
1919	—	206	0.0197%
1920	—	231	0.0208%
1921	—	194	0.0169%
1922	—	249	0.0224%
1923	—	266	0.0237%
1924	—	281	0.0242%
1925	—	277	0.0245%
1926	—	222	0.0202%
1927	—	280	0.0253%
1928	—	230	0.0215%
1929	—	241	0.0233%
1930	—	258	0.0247%
1931	—	297	0.0301%
1932	—	310	0.0314%
1933	—	306	0.0328%
1934	—	286	0.0296%
1935	—	326	0.0335%
1936	—	391	0.0406%
1937	—	622	0.0631%
1938	—	848	0.0828%
1939	—	1,034	0.1017%
1940	—	1,360	0.128%
1941	—	1,608	0.1429%
1942	—	2,269	0.1797%
1943	—	2,569	0.1968%
1944	—	2,740	0.2211%
1945	—	3,586	0.294%
1946	—	5,152	0.3492%
1947	—	6,742	0.4039%
1948	—	8,035	0.5033%
1949	—	9,338	0.5805%
1950	—	10,505	0.6524%
1951	—	12,706	0.7494%
1952	—	14,173	0.8119%
1953	—	15,176	0.8575%
1954	—	17,436	0.9538%
1955	—	20,735	1.1273%
1956	—	23,268	1.232%
1957	—	24,726	1.2849%
1958	—	28,761	1.5218%
1959	—	30,752	1.6186%
1960	—	30,484	1.6089%
1961	—	28,241	1.4959%
1962	—	27,088	1.4755%
1963	—	27,194	1.515%
1964	—	28,104	1.5966%
1965	—	28,344	1.7332%
1966	—	28,933	1.8531%
1967	—	28,588	1.8838%
1968	—	26,511	1.7655%
1969	—	23,371	1.517%
1970	—	22,437	1.4099%
1971	—	20,095	1.3373%
1972	—	17,608	1.2928%
1973	—	16,052	1.2382%
1974	—	15,893	1.2228%
1975	—	15,957	1.2418%
1976	—	16,630	1.2903%
1977	—	17,981	1.334%
1978	—	19,605	1.4582%
1979	—	19,082	1.3533%
1980	—	19,154	1.31%
1981	—	18,226	1.2399%
1982	—	17,463	1.1686%
1983	—	16,363	1.1089%
1984	—	16,994	1.1424%
1985	—	17,141	1.1293%
1986	—	16,873	1.1178%
1987	—	17,390	1.1396%
1988	—	16,802	1.0782%
1989	—	16,425	1.0179%
1990	—	15,688	0.9465%
1991	—	14,149	0.8681%
1992	—	12,856	0.8054%
1993	—	11,635	0.7463%
1994	—	10,767	0.7016%
1995	—	9,787	0.6494%
1996	—	8,918	0.5956%
1997	—	8,503	0.5749%
1998	—	7,845	0.5241%
1999	—	7,590	0.5068%
2000	—	7,260	0.4753%
2001	—	6,416	0.4258%
2002	—	6,017	0.4015%
2003	—	5,479	0.3601%
2004	—	5,228	0.343%
2005	—	5,024	0.3286%
2006	—	4,701	0.3002%
2007	—	4,434	0.281%
2008	—	4,088	0.2645%
2009	—	3,754	0.2512%
2010	—	3,440	0.2387%
2011	—	3,226	0.2264%
2012	—	3,104	0.2178%
2013	—	3,040	0.2135%
2014	—	3,005	0.2063%
2015	—	2,780	0.1911%
2016	—	2,644	0.1834%
2017	—	2,388	0.1711%
2018	—	2,325	0.1692%
2019	—	2,057	0.1519%
2020	—	1,957	0.1537%
2021	—	1,893	0.1549%
2022	—	1,812	0.1374%
2023	—	1,733	0.1339%

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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
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
Jonathan	God has given	Hebrew
Alison	Noble one	German
Isaiah	God is salvation	Hebrew
Micky	Who resembles God?	Hebrew

Share Your Thoughts

17 Comments

Gretchen Apr 7 at 10:19 am

I named him after my brother.

Reply
Kyla Feb 26 at 7:21 pm

My husband and I wanted to choose a name for our son that would honour God, and Timothy quite literally means “to honour God”!

Reply
Michaela Jun 3 at 9:32 am

Timothy is my husband grandfather who left a legacy of love behind him. He passed away last year and we wanted to honor him at first I thought it was difficult to say, but now I have the hang of it and like it. It goes with Timothy Henry:) it means the world to my husband that we chose the name. Not a big fan of just Tim, but still don’t mind it. I like the full name more and Timmy more too. But I love him and his name with all my heart. It belongs to him!

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Morgan Feb 18 at 8:43 am

Named him after my husbands role model

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Florence May 28 at 3:56 pm

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

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Kelly Jan 5 at 6:21 pm

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.

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Emma Feb 15 at 9:48 pm

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!

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Alleyne Mar 18 at 11:10 am

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

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Rosemary Mar 16 at 1:57 am

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.

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chrystal Feb 14 at 10:24 am

NAMED AFTER HIS DAD AND GRANDPA

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Dominika Sep 11 at 8:26 am

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.

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Brittney Jan 29 at 9:08 am

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.

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Crissy Havnar Nov 26 at 12:16 pm

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.

Reply
Susan Aug 8 at 9:19 am

It’s his grandfathers name.

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Bethany Jul 27 at 11:47 pm

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.

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Mama Jun 17 at 5:09 pm

It’s my fathers name and I love it!

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Mama Rachel Jun 13 at 9:19 pm

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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