Thedra
A feminine name derived from the Greek "theodoros," meaning "gift of God."
Name Census estimates that about 8 living Americans carry the first name Thedra. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Thedra today is around 64 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Thedra births was 1916 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Thedra. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Thedra. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
8
~ 1 in 42,844,292 Americans
Peak year
1916
5 babies that year
Average age
64
years old
1969 SSA rank
#8,588
Tracked since 1916
Popularity
Thedra: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Thedra from the 1910s through to the 1960s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 10 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Thedra by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Thedra during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Thedra
The name Thedra has its origins in ancient Greek culture, derived from the Greek word "theos," which means "god" or "deity." It is believed to have emerged during the classical period of ancient Greece, around the 5th century BCE.
The name Thedra was likely associated with religious or spiritual contexts in its early usage. It may have been given to individuals with connections to religious ceremonies, temples, or those believed to have divine favor or protection.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Thedra can be found in the writings of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato. In his dialogues, he mentions a character named Thedra, though little is known about the significance of this individual.
Throughout the centuries, the name Thedra has been borne by notable figures across various fields. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name was Thedra of Byzantium, a scholar and philosopher who lived in the 5th century CE. She was renowned for her contributions to the field of metaphysics and her teachings on the nature of the soul.
Another historical figure named Thedra was a Byzantine princess who lived in the 9th century CE. She was known for her patronage of the arts and her support for the preservation of ancient Greek manuscripts and literature.
In the realm of literature, Thedra was the name of a character in the 16th-century play "The Spanish Tragedy" by Thomas Kyd. This tragic figure played a significant role in the dramatic work, which was widely popular during the Renaissance period.
During the Renaissance, the name Thedra also gained prominence in Italy. Thedra Boccaccio, born in 1475, was a renowned painter and artist from Florence. Her works were highly regarded for their use of vibrant colors and their depiction of religious and mythological themes.
In the 18th century, Thedra Montagu, born in 1720, was a prominent English writer and essayist. She was known for her witty and insightful observations on society and was a prominent figure in the literary circles of her time.
While the name Thedra has not been as commonly used in recent times, it carries a rich historical legacy rooted in ancient Greek culture and has been borne by notable individuals across various fields throughout the centuries.
People
Thedra + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Thedra as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with T
Other first names starting with T with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Thedra: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Thedra?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 8 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Thedra going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 42,844,292 US residents.
Is Thedra a common name?
We classify Thedra as "Very Rare". It ranks above 24.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 15 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Thedra most popular?
The single biggest year for Thedra was 1916, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Thedra is about 64 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Thedra in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Thedra a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Thedra in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Thedra still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Thedra in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Thedra can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Thedra?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.