Theda Girl

Popularity: — · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: THEE-duh /ˈθiːdə/

Origin: Greek; English

Meaning: Greek: 'divine gift'; English: 'the people'

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Theda has its roots in the Germanic elements "theud," meaning "people" or "nation," and "hadu," meaning "battle" or "strength." This etymology suggests a connotation of strength and valor associated with the people. The name likely evolved through various forms in the Germanic languages before being adopted into English.

The earliest recorded use of Theda can be traced back to the 19th century, where it emerged as a feminine form of names like Theodor, which means "gift of God." The name gained traction in English-speaking countries during this period, influenced by the Romantic movement that celebrated historical and mythological names. Historically, Theda is notably associated with Theda Bara, an American silent film actress active in the early 20th century, who became a prominent figure in the film industry.

Her career spanned from the 1910s to the 1920s, and she was one of the first sex symbols of Hollywood, which contributed to the name's visibility in popular culture. Additionally, the name has been linked to various literary and artistic works, reflecting themes of strength and femininity that resonate with its etymological roots.

Culturally, Theda has been embraced in various forms of art and literature, often symbolizing empowerment and resilience. The name's historical significance is further underscored by its association with figures who embody these qualities.

While diminutive forms such as Thea exist, Theda itself has maintained a distinct identity, representing a blend of cultural heritage and historical resonance that has allowed it to endure through the centuries.

Famous people named Theda

In this section, you will find notable people named Theda. 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 Theda who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Theda 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.

Theda Bara is an actress best known for A Fool There Was, Cleopatra, and The Unchastened Woman.

Theda Skocpol is a sociologist best known for States and Social Revolutions, Diminished Democracy, and The Missing Class.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Theda, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

ThelmaTheaTessaThaliaTinaTara

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Theda. 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.

LedaHildaFreyaNinaZeldaVedaClaraAdaMiraCoraLenaNora

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Theda was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Theda has ranked as high as #625 nationally, which occurred in 1919, and has been most popular in Texas, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Ohio, and New York.

In the past 5 years the name Theda has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Theda 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 Theda was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

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 Theda.

Year Total Births Girl
2021 5 5
2020 5 5
2019 7 7
2018 5 5
2015 5 5
2013 7 7
2011 5 5
2007 6 6
1998 5 5
1996 6 6
1994 7 7
1993 7 7
1991 8 8
1990 6 6
1984 8 8
1982 10 10
1981 13 13
1980 5 5
1979 11 11
1978 13 13
1977 14 14
1976 12 12
1975 12 12
1974 16 16
1973 11 11
1972 13 13
1971 16 16
1970 17 17
1969 26 26
1968 18 18
1967 32 32
1966 28 28
1965 30 30
1964 37 37
1963 30 30
1962 34 34
1961 39 39
1960 40 40
1959 44 44
1958 37 37
1957 56 56
1956 55 55
1955 60 60
1954 59 59
1953 82 82
1952 62 62
1951 67 67
1950 77 77
1949 64 64
1948 77 77
1947 88 88
1946 62 62
1945 65 65
1944 66 66
1943 73 73
1942 67 67
1941 78 78
1940 87 87
1939 90 90
1938 84 84
1937 105 105
1936 84 84
1935 82 82
1934 102 102
1933 77 77
1932 103 103
1931 106 106
1930 103 103
1929 143 143
1928 138 138
1927 132 132
1926 179 179
1925 184 184
1924 198 198
1923 220 220
1922 204 204
1921 293 293
1920 290 290
1919 356 356
1918 354 354
1917 334 334
1916 315 315
1915 124 124
1914 33 33
1913 17 17
1912 17 17
1911 15 15
1910 18 18
1909 11 11
1908 13 13
1907 7 7
1906 9 9
1905 6 6
1904 11 11
1903 9 9
1902 10 10
1901 8 8
1900 16 16
1899 5 5
1898 5 5
1897 10 10
1896 5 5
1894 5 5
1892 5 5
1890 7 7
1887 9 9
1886 5 5
1880 5 5

Top States for Theda (1964)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 5
33%
LA 5
33%
TX 5
33%