Noah Boy
NOH-uh
“rest, comfort” · Hebrew
#2
Timothy
BoyGreek· “honoring God”
- Meaning
- honoring God
- Origin
- Greek
- Pronunciation
- TIH-muh-thee
- Syllables
- 3
- US rank 2025
- #203
- US babies 2025
- 1,734
- Best rank
- #11 (1960)
- Peak year
- 1959
Meaning and origin of Timothy
Timothy is a Greek name that means “honoring God”.
Timothy comes from the Greek Timotheos, combining time, "honor", and theos, "God", so it means "honoring God" or "honored by God". In the New Testament, Timothy is a young companion of the apostle Paul, who wrote two letters addressed to him; he is venerated as a saint and traditionally regarded as the first bishop of Ephesus. The name became common in England after the Reformation, and it has remained a steady classic. Tim and Timmy are familiar nicknames, and Charles Dickens gave the world Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol. Timothy feels gentle, trustworthy and unpretentious.
Popularity over time
Timothy has been given to babies in the United States since at least 1880, the first year of Social Security records. It has ranked in the top 1,000 in 146 different years. Its best national rank was #11 in 1960, and the most babies received it in 1959, when 30,783 were named Timothy. In 2025, 1,734 babies were named Timothy, and it ranked #203 nationally. That is 38% fewer than ten years earlier, so it is becoming less common.
Its national rank moved from #366 in 1920, #32 in 1950, #20 in 1980, #58 in 2000, #114 in 2010, and #203 in 2025. Of the 1,084,192 US boys named Timothy since records began, 26% were born in the 1960s, its biggest decade. The 1950s come next, with 198,324 babies. Since 2010, 39,218 more have been named Timothy.
Other boys' names that peaked around the same time include Ricky, Mike, Steve, Craig, and Mark.
Where it is most popular (2025)
In 2025, Timothy ranked highest in Mississippi, Alabama, and South Carolina.
| State | Rank there | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | #82 | 33 |
| Alabama | #123 | 44 |
| South Carolina | #128 | 44 |
| Kentucky | #136 | 42 |
| Pennsylvania | #139 | 92 |
Gender, sound and spelling
In the US it is used almost only for boys.
Timothy is usually pronounced TIH-muh-thee, with three syllables. It has seven letters, starts with T and ends in “-hy”.
Middle names for Timothy
A few middle names that flow with Timothy: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Timothy
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Lists that include Timothy
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Timothy mean?
Timothy is a Greek name that means “honoring God”.
What is the origin of the name Timothy?
Timothy has Greek roots. Timothy comes from the Greek Timotheos, combining time, "honor", and theos, "God", so it means "honoring God" or "honored by God".
Is Timothy a popular name?
Yes. Timothy ranked #203 in the US in 2025, which makes it in the top 1,000.
Is Timothy a boy or girl name?
Timothy is mainly a boy's name. In the US it is used almost only for boys.
How do you pronounce Timothy?
Timothy is usually pronounced TIH-muh-thee. Stressed syllables are in capital letters.
Popularity figures come from US Social Security card applications (names given to at least five babies in a year, 1880 to 2025). How we source names and meanings