Theodocia
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "gift from God".
Name Census estimates that about 3 living Americans carry the first name Theodocia. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Theodocia today is around 79 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Theodocia births was 1884 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Theodocia. 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
- • The typical person named Theodocia is about 79 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Theodocias were born before 1957.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Theodocia. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
3
~ 1 in 114,251,446 Americans
Peak year
1884
7 babies that year
Average age
79
years old
1943 SSA rank
#5,312
Tracked since 1884
Popularity
Theodocia: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Theodocia from the 1880s through to the 1940s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 21 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1910s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Theodocia 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 Theodocia 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 Theodocia
Theodocia is a feminine given name with Greek origins, derived from the elements "theos" meaning "god" and "doron" meaning "gift." The name can be translated to mean "gift of God" or "God's gift." Its roots date back to ancient Greek times.
The name Theodocia first appeared in written records during the Byzantine era, when it was borne by several noble women. One of the earliest known individuals with this name was Theodocia, a Byzantine empress who lived in the 5th century AD and was the wife of Emperor Theodosius II.
In the 9th century, there was a notable Theodocia who was a Byzantine abbess and scholar. She was known for her work in preserving and copying ancient Greek texts, contributing to the preservation of classical literature during the Middle Ages.
Another prominent figure named Theodocia was a 12th-century Byzantine princess and daughter of Emperor Andronikos I Komnenos. She was known for her involvement in political intrigues and her influential role in the Byzantine court.
In the 15th century, there was a Theodocia who was a Greek scholar and philosopher. She was a member of the Platonic Academy in Florence and was renowned for her knowledge of ancient Greek philosophy.
During the 16th century, a Theodocia was a renowned Italian painter and artist who specialized in portraiture and religious artwork. She was active in Venice and her works can be found in various churches and museums across Italy.
Throughout history, the name Theodocia has been borne by several notable women, although it has never been a widely popular name. Its Greek roots and connection to the concept of "God's gift" have given it a sense of reverence and significance, particularly in the Eastern Orthodox Christian tradition.
People
Theodocia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Theodocia 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
Theodocia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Theodocia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 3 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Theodocia 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 114,251,446 US residents.
Is Theodocia a common name?
We classify Theodocia as "Very Rare". It ranks above 4.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 54 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Theodocia most popular?
The single biggest year for Theodocia was 1884, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Theodocia is about 79 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 Theodocia in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Theodocia a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Theodocia 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 Theodocia still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Theodocia 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 Theodocia 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 people share the name Theodocia?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.