Ted Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: ted /tɛd/
Origin: English; German
Meaning: English: Gift of God; German: Brave people
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Ted is derived from the Old English name "Þeodoric," which itself originates from the Proto-Germanic elements "þeud," meaning "people," and "ric," meaning "ruler" or "power." This name evolved through various linguistic stages, including Old High German as "Theodoric" and Latin as "Theodoricus," before being shortened to Ted in English. The transition into English occurred during the medieval period, as names were often adapted and simplified for ease of use in everyday language.
Historically, the name Ted has been associated with several notable figures, most prominently Saint Theodore of Amasea, a Christian martyr from the 4th century, who was venerated in both the Eastern and Western Christian traditions. The name gained further prominence through the medieval period, particularly with the popularity of the name Theodoric among various European monarchs, including Theodoric the Great, the king of the Ostrogoths in the 5th century, who played a significant role in the history of Italy and the Roman Empire.
Culturally, the name Ted has been linked to themes of leadership and nobility due to its etymological roots. It has often been used in literature and folklore to symbolize strength and authority.
The diminutive form Ted is commonly associated with Theodore, which has also been a popular name in various cultures, further enhancing the name's historical resonance. The enduring legacy of Ted reflects a blend of historical significance and cultural symbolism, making it a name with deep roots in European history.
Famous people named Ted
In this section, you will find notable people named Ted. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Ted who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Ted who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Ted Danson is an actor best known for Cheers, Becker, and The Good Place.
Ted Williams is a former professional baseball player best known for his time with the Boston Red Sox and being a two-time MVP.
Ted Kaczynski is a former mathematics professor best known for being the Unabomber.
Ted Nugent is a musician best known for his work with the band Amboy Dukes and his solo career, particularly the song Cat Scratch Fever.
Ted Lasso is a fictional character best known as the titular character in the television series Ted Lasso.
Fictional characters named Ted
The following list of fictional characters named Ted is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Ted is a fictional character from the film Ted. He is a talking teddy bear who comes to life and is known for his crude humor and wild antics.
Ted Lasso is a fictional character from the TV series Ted Lasso. He is an American football coach hired to manage a struggling English soccer team, bringing optimism and kindness to his players.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Ted, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Ted. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Ted was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Ted has ranked as high as #361 nationally, which occurred in 1958, and has been most popular in California, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, and New York.
In the past 5 years the name Ted has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Ted is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Ted was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Ted (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 7 | |
| CA | 7 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Ted.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 43 |
| 2023 | 43 |
| 2022 | 41 |
| 2021 | 38 |
| 2020 | 35 |
| 2019 | 55 |
| 2018 | 49 |
| 2017 | 56 |
| 2016 | 56 |
| 2015 | 48 |
| 2014 | 59 |
| 2013 | 73 |
| 2012 | 67 |
| 2011 | 66 |
| 2010 | 81 |
| 2009 | 53 |
| 2008 | 75 |
| 2007 | 61 |
| 2006 | 59 |
| 2005 | 75 |
| 2004 | 72 |
| 2003 | 74 |
| 2002 | 99 |
| 2001 | 99 |
| 2000 | 97 |
| 1999 | 112 |
| 1998 | 106 |
| 1997 | 127 |
| 1996 | 135 |
| 1995 | 150 |
| 1994 | 163 |
| 1993 | 179 |
| 1992 | 188 |
| 1991 | 177 |
| 1990 | 249 |
| 1989 | 269 |
| 1988 | 290 |
| 1987 | 282 |
| 1986 | 298 |
| 1985 | 266 |
| 1984 | 288 |
| 1983 | 299 |
| 1982 | 317 |
| 1981 | 339 |
| 1980 | 364 |
| 1979 | 354 |
| 1978 | 361 |
| 1977 | 417 |
| 1976 | 432 |
| 1975 | 455 |
| 1974 | 478 |
| 1973 | 543 |
| 1972 | 665 |
| 1971 | 802 |
| 1970 | 944 |
| 1969 | 1,058 |
| 1968 | 1,047 |
| 1967 | 953 |
| 1966 | 1,074 |
| 1965 | 1,243 |
| 1964 | 1,507 |
| 1963 | 1,578 |
| 1962 | 1,702 |
| 1961 | 1,682 |
| 1960 | 1,695 |
| 1959 | 1,672 |
| 1958 | 1,743 |
| 1957 | 1,636 |
| 1956 | 1,457 |
| 1955 | 1,409 |
| 1954 | 1,343 |
| 1953 | 1,304 |
| 1952 | 1,413 |
| 1951 | 1,387 |
| 1950 | 1,355 |
| 1949 | 1,379 |
| 1948 | 1,476 |
| 1947 | 1,647 |
| 1946 | 1,490 |
| 1945 | 1,238 |
| 1944 | 1,166 |
| 1943 | 1,236 |
| 1942 | 1,252 |
| 1941 | 1,096 |
| 1940 | 1,047 |
| 1939 | 1,079 |
| 1938 | 1,111 |
| 1937 | 1,062 |
| 1936 | 1,064 |
| 1935 | 1,085 |
| 1934 | 1,052 |
| 1933 | 1,040 |
| 1932 | 1,067 |
| 1931 | 983 |
| 1930 | 983 |
| 1929 | 853 |
| 1928 | 826 |
| 1927 | 762 |
| 1926 | 764 |
| 1925 | 670 |
| 1924 | 610 |
| 1923 | 592 |
| 1922 | 606 |
| 1921 | 614 |
| 1920 | 545 |
| 1919 | 572 |
| 1918 | 564 |
| 1917 | 498 |
| 1916 | 453 |
| 1915 | 403 |
| 1914 | 309 |
| 1913 | 247 |
| 1912 | 244 |
| 1911 | 97 |
| 1910 | 127 |
| 1909 | 122 |
| 1908 | 113 |
| 1907 | 112 |
| 1906 | 89 |
| 1905 | 115 |
| 1904 | 94 |
| 1903 | 71 |
| 1902 | 87 |
| 1901 | 64 |
| 1900 | 75 |
| 1899 | 34 |
| 1898 | 39 |
| 1897 | 28 |
| 1896 | 30 |
| 1895 | 24 |
| 1894 | 23 |
| 1893 | 12 |
| 1892 | 15 |
| 1891 | 22 |
| 1890 | 20 |
| 1889 | 25 |
| 1888 | 21 |
| 1887 | 20 |
| 1886 | 10 |
| 1885 | 10 |
| 1884 | 10 |
| 1883 | 13 |
| 1882 | 14 |
| 1881 | 7 |
| 1880 | 13 |