Given name & surname
Timur
“one who is timid”
Timur is used as a given name and a surname. One African interpretation is “one who is timid.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One African interpretation is “one who is timid.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is African.
How it developed
In Turkish usage, Timur developed from تیمور.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1969. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Timur through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 977
- 977 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2017
- 61 babies
- 2025
- 50
- #2,639 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +3%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 50 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 2,639 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 3.3% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 61 in 2017. In 2025, Florida had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (8). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,718 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.
Timur’s family of names
In Turkish usage, Timur shares an earlier linguistic root with DEMIR. In English usage, Timur has a related form in TAIMUR. In Turkish usage, Timur has a conventional equivalent in the French form TIMOUR.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Timur has relatives in 6 languages.
5 related names in 6 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 7
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 2
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Timur
- Timurthe founder of the Timurid Empire (1370–1405)1336–1405
- Timur BekmambetovRussian film directorborn 1961
- Timur SafinRussian fencerborn 1992
- TimatiRussian rapperborn 1983
- Timur Shah DurraniEmir of Afghanistan (1746 , 1793)
- Timur VermesGerman authorborn 1967
- Temür QutlughKhan of the Golden Horde1370–1399
- Timur KapadzeUzbekistani association football manager and playerborn 1981
- Timur MiroshnychenkoUkrainian television presenterborn 1986
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Timur, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Tacari
“as strong as a warrior”
86% boys · 14% girls
Tewodros
“a gift from God” · “God”
>99% boys
Masud
“a fortunate man”
>99% boys
Kazi
“a hardworking man”
79% boys · 21% girls
Iniko
“daughter born during hardship” · “born during troubled times”
87% boys · 13% girls
Baba
“born on a Thursday”
>99% boys
Simba
“resembling a lion”
>99% boys
Tumaini
“an optimist”
>99% boys