Timothea
A feminine form of the Greek name Timothy, meaning "one who honors God".
Name Census estimates that about 129 living Americans carry the first name Timothea. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Timothea today is around 56 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Timothea births was 1973 (11 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Timothea. 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.
People living today
129
~ 1 in 2,657,010 Americans
Peak year
1973
11 babies that year
Average age
56
years old
1987 SSA rank
#11,204
Tracked since 1940
Popularity
Timothea: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Timothea from the 1940s through to the 1980s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 66 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1970s peak, Timothea remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Timothea 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 Timothea 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 Timothea
The name Timothea is derived from the Greek name Timotheos, which is composed of the elements "timos" meaning "honor" and "theos" meaning "god." The name first appeared in ancient Greek literature and texts, where it was given to several notable figures.
In the New Testament of the Bible, Timothy was a close companion and disciple of the apostle Paul. He is considered a saint in various Christian traditions and is revered for his faith and dedication to spreading the gospel. The name Timothea is the feminine form of Timothy, and it gained popularity as a woman's name in later centuries.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Timothea can be found in the writings of the Greek philosopher Plato, who lived from 428 BC to 348 BC. He mentioned a woman named Timothea in his dialogues, suggesting that the name was in use during that time period.
In the 4th century AD, Timothea of Gaza was a renowned Christian martyr who was executed for her faith during the reign of the Roman emperor Diocletian. Her unwavering devotion and courage in the face of persecution made her a revered figure in early Christian history.
During the Byzantine era, Timothea was the name of a prominent member of the royal family. Timothea Petraliphaina was a noblewoman who lived in the 11th century and was known for her philanthropy and patronage of the arts.
In the field of literature, one of the most notable figures with the name Timothea was the 16th-century Italian poet and writer Timothea Philotea. She was a member of the Accademia degli Incamminati, a renowned literary academy in Bologna, and her works were highly acclaimed during her lifetime.
Another historical figure named Timothea was Timothea of Lesbos, a Greek poet and philosopher who lived in the 3rd century BC. She was known for her contributions to the study of mathematics and her philosophical writings, which unfortunately have been lost to time.
These are just a few examples of the historical figures who have borne the name Timothea throughout the centuries, showcasing its enduring presence and significance across various cultures and time periods.
People
Timothea + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Timothea 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
Timothea: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Timothea?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 129 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Timothea 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 2,657,010 US residents.
Is Timothea a common name?
We classify Timothea as "Very Rare". It ranks above 68.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 157 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Timothea most popular?
The single biggest year for Timothea was 1973, when 11 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Timothea is about 56 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Timothea a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Timothea 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.