Timothy Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: TIM-uh-thee //ˈtɪməθi//
Origin: Greek; Hebrew
Meaning: Greek: 'honoring God'; Hebrew: 'God's honor'
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Timothy originates from the Greek name Τιμόθεος (Timotheos), which is composed of the elements 'timao' meaning 'to honor' and 'theos' meaning 'God.' This etymological foundation suggests a meaning of 'honoring God.' The name was adopted into Latin as Timotheus before making its way into Old French and eventually into Middle English as Timothy, where it became established in the English-speaking world by the late Middle Ages. Timothy is notably recognized in Christian tradition, particularly as a companion of the Apostle Paul in the New Testament.
He is mentioned in several epistles, including 1 and 2 Timothy, which are attributed to Paul and provide guidance to Timothy in his ministry. These letters date back to the first century CE and have played a significant role in Christian theology and ecclesiastical history, contributing to the name's enduring presence in Christian communities.
The name Timothy has also been associated with various saints, including Saint Timothy, who is commemorated in the Christian liturgical calendar on January 26. His legacy as a faithful disciple and leader in the early Church has reinforced the name's significance within Christian culture.
Additionally, Timothy has been used in various literary works and translations, including the King James Bible, which helped to solidify its place in religious and cultural contexts. Symbolically, the name Timothy conveys themes of faithfulness and devotion, reflecting its biblical roots.
The diminutive form Tim has emerged as a common variant, further illustrating the name's adaptability and resonance across different cultures and eras.
Famous people named Timothy
In this section, you will find notable people named Timothy. 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 Timothy who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Timothy 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.
Timothy Dalton is an actor best known for James Bond films The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill.
Timothy Olyphant is an actor best known for Justified, Deadwood, and Santa Clarita Diet.
Timothy Spall is an actor best known for Mr. Turner, The King's Speech, and Harry Potter series.
Timothy Hutton is an actor best known for Ordinary People, The Last Seduction, and Leverage.
Timothy McVeigh is known as the perpetrator of the Oklahoma City bombing.
Fictional characters named Timothy
The following list of fictional characters named Timothy 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.
Timothy is a fictional character from the children's book series The Tale of Timmy Tiptoes by Beatrix Potter. He is a clever little squirrel who gets into various adventures in the woods.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Timothy, 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 Timothy. 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 Timothy was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Timothy has ranked as high as #19 nationally, which occurred in 1959, and has been most popular in California, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Illinois.
In the past 5 years the name Timothy has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Timothy 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 Timothy was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Timothy (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 | 150 | |
| CA | 137 | |
| FL | 101 | |
| NY | 90 | |
| OH | 88 | |
| PA | 79 | |
| NC | 77 | |
| GA | 64 | |
| IL | 54 | |
| AL | 51 | |
| VA | 50 | |
| IN | 49 | |
| MA | 47 | |
| MO | 44 | |
| KY | 44 |
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 Timothy.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 1,708 |
| 2023 | 1,742 |
| 2022 | 1,844 |
| 2021 | 1,921 |
| 2020 | 2,010 |
| 2019 | 2,092 |
| 2018 | 2,355 |
| 2017 | 2,418 |
| 2016 | 2,672 |
| 2015 | 2,801 |
| 2014 | 3,011 |
| 2013 | 3,068 |
| 2012 | 3,123 |
| 2011 | 3,233 |
| 2010 | 3,453 |
| 2009 | 3,772 |
| 2008 | 4,094 |
| 2007 | 4,437 |
| 2006 | 4,706 |
| 2005 | 5,034 |
| 2004 | 5,233 |
| 2003 | 5,486 |
| 2002 | 6,020 |
| 2001 | 6,422 |
| 2000 | 7,261 |
| 1999 | 7,593 |
| 1998 | 7,845 |
| 1997 | 8,502 |
| 1996 | 8,919 |
| 1995 | 9,788 |
| 1994 | 10,768 |
| 1993 | 11,638 |
| 1992 | 12,862 |
| 1991 | 14,153 |
| 1990 | 15,699 |
| 1989 | 16,427 |
| 1988 | 16,808 |
| 1987 | 17,397 |
| 1986 | 16,875 |
| 1985 | 17,138 |
| 1984 | 16,988 |
| 1983 | 16,363 |
| 1982 | 17,463 |
| 1981 | 18,228 |
| 1980 | 19,147 |
| 1979 | 19,078 |
| 1978 | 19,597 |
| 1977 | 17,976 |
| 1976 | 16,621 |
| 1975 | 15,948 |
| 1974 | 15,892 |
| 1973 | 16,035 |
| 1972 | 17,605 |
| 1971 | 20,089 |
| 1970 | 22,427 |
| 1969 | 23,359 |
| 1968 | 26,497 |
| 1967 | 28,587 |
| 1966 | 28,927 |
| 1965 | 28,332 |
| 1964 | 28,097 |
| 1963 | 27,182 |
| 1962 | 27,107 |
| 1961 | 28,246 |
| 1960 | 30,485 |
| 1959 | 30,784 |
| 1958 | 28,794 |
| 1957 | 24,733 |
| 1956 | 23,289 |
| 1955 | 20,738 |
| 1954 | 17,427 |
| 1953 | 15,188 |
| 1952 | 14,167 |
| 1951 | 12,704 |
| 1950 | 10,498 |
| 1949 | 9,346 |
| 1948 | 8,043 |
| 1947 | 6,747 |
| 1946 | 5,152 |
| 1945 | 3,591 |
| 1944 | 2,754 |
| 1943 | 2,578 |
| 1942 | 2,275 |
| 1941 | 1,632 |
| 1940 | 1,385 |
| 1939 | 1,067 |
| 1938 | 882 |
| 1937 | 673 |
| 1936 | 439 |
| 1935 | 371 |
| 1934 | 336 |
| 1933 | 346 |
| 1932 | 341 |
| 1931 | 344 |
| 1930 | 307 |
| 1929 | 292 |
| 1928 | 297 |
| 1927 | 325 |
| 1926 | 274 |
| 1925 | 319 |
| 1924 | 322 |
| 1923 | 325 |
| 1922 | 288 |
| 1921 | 249 |
| 1920 | 269 |
| 1919 | 249 |
| 1918 | 285 |
| 1917 | 260 |
| 1916 | 246 |
| 1915 | 253 |
| 1914 | 174 |
| 1913 | 160 |
| 1912 | 128 |
| 1911 | 88 |
| 1910 | 75 |
| 1909 | 67 |
| 1908 | 67 |
| 1907 | 81 |
| 1906 | 52 |
| 1905 | 73 |
| 1904 | 58 |
| 1903 | 49 |
| 1902 | 62 |
| 1901 | 62 |
| 1900 | 76 |
| 1899 | 60 |
| 1898 | 75 |
| 1897 | 58 |
| 1896 | 72 |
| 1895 | 60 |
| 1894 | 71 |
| 1893 | 62 |
| 1892 | 71 |
| 1891 | 66 |
| 1890 | 56 |
| 1889 | 82 |
| 1888 | 76 |
| 1887 | 54 |
| 1886 | 74 |
| 1885 | 64 |
| 1884 | 77 |
| 1883 | 62 |
| 1882 | 71 |
| 1881 | 63 |
| 1880 | 70 |