Theora
A feminine name of Greek origin, meaning "divine gift".
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the first name Theora. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Theora today is around 68 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Theora births was 1929 (37 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Theora. 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 Theora is about 68 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Theoras were born before 1968.
People living today
130
~ 1 in 2,636,572 Americans
Peak year
1929
37 babies that year
Average age
68
years old
2024 SSA rank
#12,018
Tracked since 1891
Popularity
Theora: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Theora from the 1890s through to the 2020s, spanning 11 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 231 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
Theora 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 Theora during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Theoras live
Origin
Meaning and history of Theora
The name Theora has its origins in Greek culture and language, derived from the Greek word "theos" meaning "god" or "divine". It is a feminine form of the Greek word "Theoros", which referred to a religious ambassador or representative sent to attend important festivals or ceremonies.
The earliest known historical references to the name Theora can be traced back to Ancient Greece, where it was used as a personal name for women. The name gained popularity during the Classical and Hellenistic periods, and it was borne by several notable women in Greek mythology and history.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Theora is found in the writings of the ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes, who lived in the 5th century BCE. In his play "Lysistrata", one of the characters is named Theora. This suggests that the name was already in use during that time period.
Throughout history, there have been several notable women who bore the name Theora. One of the most famous was Theora, the wife of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, who reigned in the 6th century CE. Born into a family of humble means, Theora rose to become one of the most influential and powerful women in the Byzantine Empire.
Another notable Theora was Theora Psammiticus, a philosopher and mathematician who lived in the 6th century BCE in ancient Egypt. She is believed to have been one of the first women to make significant contributions to the field of mathematics.
In the Middle Ages, Theora was the name of a 12th-century Byzantine empress who ruled alongside her husband, Emperor Manuel I Komnenos. She played a significant role in the political and cultural affairs of the Byzantine Empire during her reign.
During the Renaissance period, Theora was the name of an Italian poet and writer from the 16th century, known for her contributions to the literary circles of her time.
Another notable Theora was Theora Hamblett, an English artist and painter who lived in the 19th century and was renowned for her landscape and portrait paintings.
While the name Theora has its roots in ancient Greek culture, it has been used across various regions and time periods, reflecting its enduring appeal and connection to divine or spiritual themes.
People
Theora + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Theora 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
Theora: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Theora?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 130 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Theora 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 2,636,572 US residents.
Is Theora a common name?
We classify Theora as "Very Rare". It ranks above 68.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 853 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Theora most popular?
The single biggest year for Theora was 1929, when 37 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Theora is about 68 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Theora a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Theora 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.
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.