Girl name · Greek
Theodora
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: gift of GodTheodora is a girl's name that comes from Greek and means "gift of God". It is used in English and Greek.
- Meaning
- Gift of God
- Origin
- Greek
- Gender
- Girl
- US rank
- #726 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Theodora
As a girl's name, Theodora comes from Greek and means "gift of God". It is used in English and Greek.
In Greek, say theh-o-DHO-rah. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Theodora on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Theodora on 6 lists.
“Gift of God; Greek. Vintage and regal”
From Girl middle names, long girl middle names for short first names
“Gift of God; Greek. A formidable Byzantine empress of the 500s”
From Gothic names, gothic female names with real meanings
“Gift of God; Greek. A famous Byzantine empress. Say theh-o-DHO-rah”
From Greek girl names, popular Greek girl names
“Dignified enough for a starter with heirloom status”
From Sourdough starter names, old-fashioned names for a sourdough starter
“Greek for gift of God, the name of a Byzantine empress”
From Vampire names, female vampire names
“Gift of God; Greek. Teddy or Thea for short”
From Vintage girl names, victorian girl names
How popular is Theodora?
- US rank in 2025
- #726
- 384 babies, 239 per million girls
- Best rank
- #506 in 1908
- Most babies: 426 in 2022
- Babies since 1880
- At least 12,654
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 82 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 99 per million |
| 1900s | 117 per million |
| 1910s | 122 per million |
| 1920s | 134 per million |
| 1930s | 103 per million |
| 1940s | 97 per million |
| 1950s | 54 per million |
| 1960s | 39 per million |
| 1970s | 28 per million |
| 1980s | 25 per million |
| 1990s | 25 per million |
| 2000s | 24 per million |
| 2010s | 64 per million |
| 2020s | 230 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,889 | #1,899 | #1,411 | #853 | #836 | #738 | #688 | #778 | #811 | #726 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Other forms of Theodora
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- DollyGift of God (Greek, girl)
- DorotaGift of God (Greek, girl)
- DoroteaGift of God (Greek, girl)
- DorotheaGift of God (Greek, girl)
- DorothyGift of God (Greek, girl)
- DörtheGift of God (Greek, girl)
- DottieGift of God (Greek, girl)
- FeodoraGift of God (Greek, girl)
- TeddieGift of God (Greek, girl)
- TeodoraGift of God (Greek, girl)
- TeodosiaGift of God (Greek, girl)
- ThedaGift of God (Greek, girl)
Names spelled like Theodora
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- TheodosiaGift of God (Greek, girl)
Names with a similar meaning
- TheoGift of God (Greek, boy)
- DoraGift (Greek, girl)
- IsadoraGift of Isis (Greek, girl)
- MatthiasGift of God (Hebrew, boy)
- EudoraGood gift (Greek, girl)
- HeliodoraGift of the sun (Greek, girl)
- HeliodoroGift of the sun (Greek, boy)
- JessePossibly gift, or existence (Hebrew, boy)
- MateoGift of God (Hebrew, boy)
- MatteoGift of God (Hebrew, boy)
Middle names for Theodora
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More girl names from Greek
- AlexandraDefender of men (Greek, girl)
- ElenaForm of Helen, probably from Greek torch (Greek, girl)
- IrenePeace, tranquility (Greek, girl)
- IrisA rainbow (Greek, girl)
- SofiaWisdom, skill (Greek, girl)
- SophieWisdom, skill (Greek, girl)
- ZoeLife, living (Greek, girl)
- AnastasiaResurrection, rising again (Greek, girl)
- ChristinaFollower of Christ (Greek, girl)
- NicoleVictory of the people (Greek, girl)
Theodora: common questions
What does the name Theodora mean?
Theodora comes from Greek and means "gift of God".
Is Theodora a boy or girl name?
Theodora is mainly a girl's name.
Where does the name Theodora come from?
Theodora comes from Greek and means "gift of God". Today it is used in English and Greek.
How popular is the name Theodora?
Theodora ranked #726 in the US in 2025, with 384 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Theodora?
Forms of Theodora with the same meaning and origin include Dolly (English), Dorota (Polish), Dorotea (Italian), Dorothea (German) and Dorothy (English).
What middle names go with Theodora?
Middle names that flow well with Theodora include Belle, Elise, Hazel, Ivy and Jade. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.