Theral
An invented name possibly derived from "other," suggesting uniqueness or distinction.
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Theral. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Theral today is around 48 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Theral births was 1974 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Theral. 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 Theral. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1974
5 babies that year
Average age
48
years old
1974 SSA rank
#5,934
Tracked since 1974
Popularity
Theral: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Theral 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 Theral during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Theral
The name Theral originated in the ancient Sumerian civilization, which flourished in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) around 3500–3000 BCE. It is derived from the Sumerian word "theral," which means "warrior" or "protector." The name was likely given to newborn boys in honor of their fathers or ancestors who were renowned warriors or soldiers.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Theral can be found in the Epic of Gilgamesh, a Sumerian epic poem dating back to around 2100 BCE. In this epic, Theral is mentioned as the name of a minor character, a soldier in the army of King Gilgamesh.
In ancient Sumerian society, names were often chosen to reflect the parents' hopes and aspirations for their children. The name Theral was likely chosen to imbue the child with the qualities of strength, courage, and a willingness to protect their family and community.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Theral. One of the earliest recorded was Theral of Cyrene, a Greek philosopher and mathematician who lived in the 5th century BCE. He was a student of Socrates and is credited with making significant contributions to the field of geometry.
Another notable Theral was Theral the Patrician, a high-ranking Roman official who lived during the reign of Emperor Justinian I in the 6th century CE. He was instrumental in the construction of the Hagia Sophia, one of the most famous and iconic churches in the world.
In the Middle Ages, Theral was the name of a renowned Frankish warrior who fought alongside Charlemagne during his conquests in the late 8th and early 9th centuries. He was known for his bravery and skill on the battlefield.
During the Renaissance period, Theral Visconti was an Italian nobleman and patron of the arts who lived in the 15th century. He commissioned numerous works of art and architecture, including the Visconti Chapel in the Basilica of Sant'Eustorgio in Milan.
In more recent times, Theral Dodge was an American businessman and industrialist who lived from 1860 to 1935. He was the co-founder of the Dodge Brothers Company, which later became part of the Chrysler Corporation.
People
Theral + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Theral 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
Theral: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Theral?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Theral 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Theral a common name?
We classify Theral as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Theral most popular?
The single biggest year for Theral was 1974, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Theral is about 48 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 Theral in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Theral a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Theral in the SSA data are male. 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 Theral still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Theral 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 Theral 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 have Theral as a first name?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.