Tim first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Tim has been for the last 50 years (from 1975 to 2024) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Tim

Short form of Timotheus/Timothy, Greek name meaning "honoring God".

Popularity of Tim by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Tim is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 100% of people named Tim being male.

For the most recent data in 2024, there were 54 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Tim.

YearMale CountFemale Count
2024540
2023370
2022320
2021420
2020320
2019570
2018570
2017520
2016680
2015610
2014750
2013510
2012410
2011480
2010650
2009690
2008700
2007770
2006780
2005840
2004600
2003880
2002790
2001800
2000910
1999740
1998610
1997570
1996610
1995510
1994690
1993640
1992780
1991680
1990760
1989960
1988920
1987830
1986750
19851020
19841220
1983970
19821390
19811620
19801660
19791480
19782460
19772540
19762915
19753275

The history of the first name Tim

The name Tim is an English diminutive form of the name Timothy, which has Greek origins. Timothy derives from the Greek name Timotheos, composed of the elements timē meaning "honor" and theos meaning "god." The name Timothy first appears in the Bible's New Testament as the name of one of Saint Paul's companions.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Tim dates back to the late 14th century in England. William Tymme was recorded as living in Yorkshire in 1379. Over the centuries, various spellings emerged, including Tymme, Tym, and Tim.

Sir Thomas More, the renowned English scholar, writer, and Lord Chancellor, had a son named Tim who was born in 1512. Tim More was a lawyer and member of Parliament.

In the 16th century, Tim Bobbin, the pen name of John Collier (1708-1786), was an English satirist and author known for his works written in the Lancashire dialect.

Tim Berners-Lee (born 1955) is the English computer scientist credited with inventing the World Wide Web in 1989. His pioneering work at CERN laid the foundation for the modern internet.

Tim Burton (born 1958) is an American film director, producer, artist, and animator, renowned for his dark and gothic aesthetic. His notable films include Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, and The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Tim Curry (born 1946) is an English actor and singer, best known for his iconic role as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the cult classic film The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975). He has had a prolific career in theater, television, and film.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Tim was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Tim, please contact us.

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