Theophilus

Theophilus - A very unique male name

Theophilus appeared on the charts for the first time in 1916 on position #1766. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Theophilus and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Theophilus? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Theophilus. The baby boy name Theophilus was given to 6 baby boys in 2025, ranking #3752 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 244,381 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Theophilus peaked in popularity 70 years ago in 1956 on position 1737.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Theophilus, 1-5?

Theophilus is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Theophilus is currently topping the baby name charts in Washington at position #985 - and is the least popular in Washington at position #985.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Theophilus is where you live.

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Theophilus origin and meaning

Greek, via the New Testament

From Greek theos, 'God', and philos, 'loved, dear' — 'loved by God' or 'friend of God'

Theophilus is the man addressed at the opening of Luke's Gospel and Acts, and his transparent Greek name has been used in Christian families ever since. In the US data it is always rare, appearing from 1916, with its best year so far in 2024. It is a formal, scholarly name that shortens naturally to Theo.

Attested etymology

Theophilus is a 10 letter name with 4 syllables.

To see famous people named Theophilus, pop culture references for the name Theophilus and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Theophilus

We've found the following names that sound similar to Theophilus, sorted by popularity.

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Theophilus

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Theophilus a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Theophilus?

4 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

thee-OFF-ih-lus · /θiˈɑfələs/

Around the world

• Théophile (French) — The French form of the same Greek name
• Teófilo (Spanish) — The Spanish and Portuguese form

Spellings and nicknames

• Theophile — The unaccented French form, not recorded as a US name string

Nicknames: Theo

Famous bearers

• Theophilus — Addressee of the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament (Biblical) Historical

Style

BiblicalClassic

Why parents choose it

Theophilus is chosen by parents who want a weighty biblical name with a built-in friendly short form in Theo.

Worth knowing

• Long and formal on a small child — most bearers will live as Theo day to day.