Theodore

[fireworkbaby]

This is one of our frontrunners for baby number 2 if a boy, I really like the potential nicknames of Theo and Ted and the flexibility of having a longer formal name or nicknames. However I'm a bit worried about popularity and more than that that it is trendy and would end up dating badly? If you add up all the Theodores, Theos and Teddys I think it would end up one of the most popular names and would prefer for the baby not to be one of several in their class etc. What do you think of the name, how many do you know and would you class it as trendy? Also any suggestions for alternatives along similar lines?

what about something like Rowan or Alban? They are shorter but Rowan can be shortened to Ro, and Alban can be called Alby

I love it. I only know 1 (my children are 12 and 9 if that helps) and he is delightful.

It has become so trendy and overused over the past 5 years that it will probably fall out of fashion soon and start to sound dated.

How about
Reuben
Dominic
Vincent
Quentin
Magnus
Xavier

I love it. I love classic boy names like Theodore or Arthur maybe Edward

It's lovely but its very popular.

I know lots of babies called Theodore.

Even more called Teddy/Teddie as Edward is also popular and its a nickname for both.

It is so overused and is going to date badly.

Oh and I know 3 baby Theos and one Theodore.

Theodore especially Theo has become very popular quickly and feels quite common and already a little dated and dull.

Can you turn the elements around and have Dorotheo? Just as a girl can be Theodora or Dorothea. It means the same thing. Doro sounds quite nice for a short form. The Ancient Greek male name was Dorotheos, I think.

What I’d most like to call my son is Thelonious, shortened to Theo (even though that’s not technically accurate...). But I think that too many people will mispronounce it as Theolonious, so that might not quite be fair.

Theodore Theo & Teddy are 0.3 0.4 & 0.2% of babies so in total 0.9% of babies with the earlier years being significantly lower. So on average 1 Teddy / Theo or Theodore for every hundred children.

I realise that’s ‘common’ by Mumsnet standards but I really wouldn’t pay any attention myself - it’s a lovely name

A lovely name! I think more classic names like Theodore don't date as much as other names. For instance look at Oliver and Jack, which have been amongst the most popular names for a couple of decades now (much much more popular than Theodore) and they still sound good because they are strong traditional names. Names which have been just as popular (eg Noah, Ethan, Mason) but are not as classic seem to date much more I think.

Another strong advantage of Theodore as you identified are the several great short forms. So even if there is another Theodore in the group they can each have their own form.

Major disadvantage is that this name was chosen by Spencer off made in chelsea which will probably add to its popularity. Lovely name - I do hear it, not too often though. Can’t think of one in DC1 year group at school, or in DC2 room at nursery, so 1/100 kids sounds about right.

Our DC1 has an incredibly unusual name - I’ve not ever met another except for knowing of one senior academic in his ?60s with the same name. Our DC2 has a name with similar popularity to Theodore and it’s definitely more noticeably common.

I love it but the popularity of it is off putting for me. Met loads of them at baby groups over the last few years

Teodoro (the Italian version) known as Theo but can use Teo when they get to be a cool teen. Uncle Teo was also known as uncle Doro.

I think it is very popular, but it’s also a solid, classic name so it’s not going to date.

15 years ago people would have seen Theodore as a geeky name but now it's very trendy and there are loads of them and yes, it will date to some degree. But I don't think a name dating is such a bad thing, unless it dates a person to a really popular TV show (GoT names) or a popstar name (Kylie).

Adrian, Linus, Conrad, Benedict, Tristan?

I knew a Greek one some years ago. He was called “Dory” which I thought was rather nice.

I love it

Love it and love both nicknames Theo and Teddy

Theo (not Theodore) is common in my 3 kids circles, in fact I'd say probably the most popular boys' name.

It’s a lovely name - go for it !

Lovely name, but totally overdone and will date badly.
What about Lucian?

Its perfect! Go for it! Dd2 name is "overused" by munsnet standards but I've only met 1 other. Whereas some of the above names are suggested on every mn baby name thread so if I ever hear them in real life I'll think MN!