Given name & surname
Theodora
“gift of God”·“God”·“gift”
Theodora is a feminine form of Theodore. Theodore combines “God” and “gift,” giving the meaning “gift of God.”
Original GreekΘεοδώρα
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Greek use, Theodora carries the interpretation “gift of God.” Theodora is a feminine form of Theodore. Theodore combines “God” and “gift,” giving the meaning “gift of God.”
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Greek.
How it developed
Theodora is used as a feminine counterpart of Theodore. Theodora is a feminine form of Theodore. The shared background comes through Theodore: Theodore’s Greek elements are theos, meaning “god,” and doron, meaning “gift.” French forms provided the route into English.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Theodora is a feminine form of Theodore. The history of Theodore gives this family its wider story. Theodore was popular among early Christians and was borne by several saints. That religious history helps explain the name’s spread into different European forms.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Theodora through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 12,703
- 49 boys · 12,654 girls
- Most popular year
- 2022
- 426 babies
- 2025
- 384
- #726 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +88%
- Rising fast
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 384 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 726 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 87.6% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (34). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 7,119 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Theodora’s family of names
In English usage, Theodora has a short form in Dora. Theodora is a feminine form of Theodore. Theodora has a related form in Teddy.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Theodora has relatives in 20 languages. Lines run from its Ancient Greek roots to each of them.
17 related names in 20 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 20
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 18
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Theodora
- TheodoraByzantine empress from 527 to 548497–548
- Theodora PorphyrogenitaByzantine empress regnant (984-1056)
- Theodora9th-century Byzantine empress, wife of Theophilos815–867
- Dora BakoyannisGreek politician 1954-
- Princess Theodora of Greece and DenmarkGreco-Danish princess (1906-1969); sister of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
- Princess Theodora of Greece and DenmarkDanish-Greek princess (born 1983)
- Theodora of TrebizondEmpress regnant of Trebizond, nun (1253-1285)
- Sarah Orne JewettAmerican novelist, short story writer and poet (1849–1909)
- Theodora KroeberAmerican anthropologist (1897–1979)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Theodora, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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