Tim Boy

Popularity: #870 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: tim /tɪm/

Origin: English; Greek

Meaning: English: Short form of Timothy; Greek: Honoring God

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Tim is a diminutive form of Timothy, which originates from the Greek name Timotheos, meaning 'honoring God' or 'in God's honor.' The name is composed of the elements 'timao,' meaning 'to honor,' and 'theos,' meaning 'God.' This Greek form was adopted into Latin as Timotheus before being introduced into Old French and subsequently into Middle English as Timothy, from which Tim emerged as a short form. The transition into English occurred around the 16th century, coinciding with the Renaissance and the increased interest in classical texts and names.

Timothy is notably recognized in the Christian tradition as a companion of the Apostle Paul, mentioned in the New Testament of the Bible. He is traditionally believed to have been a significant figure in the early Christian church, serving as a bishop and martyr.

The letters of Paul to Timothy, known as the First and Second Epistles to Timothy, are key texts in the New Testament, dating to the 1st century CE. These letters provide guidance on church leadership and moral conduct, further solidifying the name's religious significance.

Culturally, the name Tim and its variants have been associated with qualities such as honor and faithfulness, reflecting its etymological roots. The name has been embraced in various forms across different cultures, often maintaining its connection to the divine.

In literature and popular culture, characters named Tim have appeared frequently, reinforcing the name's enduring presence. The diminutive form Tim has become a familiar and approachable version of Timothy, often used affectionately in familial and social contexts.

Famous people named Tim

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

We also feature individuals named Tim 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.

Tim Allen is an actor and comedian best known for Home Improvement, Toy Story, and Last Man Standing.

Tim Burton is a filmmaker and artist best known for Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Beetlejuice.

Tim McGraw is a country music singer and actor best known for Live Like You Were Dying, It's Your Love, and The Blind Side.

Tim Robbins is an actor and director best known for The Shawshank Redemption, Mystic River, and Bull Durham.

Tim Rice is a lyricist and author best known for The Lion King, Aladdin, and Evita.

Tim Howard is a former professional soccer player best known for his time with Manchester United, Everton, and the U.S. Men's National Team.

Tim Duncan is a retired professional basketball player best known for his career with the San Antonio Spurs and winning five NBA championships.

Tim Ferriss is an author and entrepreneur best known for The 4-Hour Workweek, The 4-Hour Body, and The 4-Hour Chef.

Tim Henman is a retired professional tennis player best known for his performances at Wimbledon and being a British tennis icon.

Tim Roth is an actor best known for Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, and The Hateful Eight.

Fictional characters named Tim

The following list of fictional characters named Tim 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.

Tim Drake is a fictional character from the DC Comics universe. He is the third Robin, who takes on the mantle after discovering Batman's identity and proving himself as a skilled crimefighter.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Tim, 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 Tim. 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 Tim was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Tim has ranked as high as #121 nationally, which occurred in 1960, and has been most popular in California, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana.

In the past 5 years the name Tim has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

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

Top States for Tim (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
CA 14
70%
TX 6
30%

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 Tim.

YearBirths
202454
202337
202232
202142
202032
201957
201857
201753
201668
201561
201475
201351
201241
201148
201065
200969
200870
200777
200678
200584
200460
200388
200279
200181
200091
199974
199861
199757
199661
199551
199469
199364
199278
199168
199077
198996
198892
198783
198675
1985101
1984122
198397
1982139
1981162
1980165
1979148
1978246
1977254
1976291
1975327
1974410
1973523
1972733
19711,049
19701,323
19691,545
19682,073
19672,624
19663,141
19653,718
19644,696
19635,017
19625,586
19616,249
19606,931
19596,828
19585,536
19573,251
19561,718
19551,143
1954815
1953744
1952696
1951715
1950754
19491,007
19481,296
19471,330
19461,134
1945779
1944605
1943618
1942512
1941388
1940333
1939245
1938270
1937162
1936134
1935131
1934114
1933101
193287
193172
193061
192974
192850
192764
192665
192560
192462
192365
192249
192154
192064
191957
191867
191748
191656
191540
191455
191337
191236
191123
191034
190930
190821
190719
190615
190519
190414
190325
190218
19018
190022
189913
189812
18977
189614
189515
18948
189319
189212
189115
189017
188914
188810
188718
188614
188516
188416
188316
188211
188112
188012