Boy names that start with T
Theodore is the fourth most-used boy's name in the United States, and Thomas has been in continuous English use since the twelfth century. Behind that pair, T turns Norse, Welsh and Japanese by turns, from Thor to Taliesin to Tsubasa. All 41 names below link to a full entry with meaning, origin, and pairings.
Most popular T names right now
The current U.S. Social Security top 100 holds four T names. Their real positions are shown.
- #4TheodoreTHEE-uh-dorGreek
Gift of God, from theos and doron. Teddy, Theo and Ted all come free with it.
- #34ThomasTOM-usAramaic
Twin. Rare in England until the murder of Thomas Becket in 1170 turned it into a national name.
- #50Thiagotee-AH-goPortuguese
It carries the meaning of James: supplanter, or may God protect. The Brazilian spelling of Tiago.
- #82TheoTHEE-ohGreek
Gift of God. Once a short form of Theodore, now given as a full name in its own right.
Classic T names
- TimothyTIM-uh-theeGreek
Honouring God. Paul's protege, with two New Testament letters addressed to him.
- Tobiastuh-BY-usHebrew
God is good. The hero of the Book of Tobit, who travels with an archangel for company.
- TobyTOH-beeEnglish
God is good, inherited from Tobias. The medieval English form, now standing alone.
- TitusTY-tusLatin
A Roman praenomen with no recoverable meaning. An emperor, a New Testament letter, and a Shakespeare tragedy.
- ThaddeusTHAD-ee-usGreek
Uncertain, with no secure derivation. One of the twelve apostles is named Thaddaeus.
- TristanTRIS-tunCeltic
Uncertain, from the Celtic name Drust. The knight of the Tristan and Iseult legend.
- TrevorTREV-urWelsh
Great settlement, from tref. A Welsh place name and surname that went general in the twentieth century.
- TravisTRAV-issEnglish
One who keeps the crossing: the toll-gatherer at a bridge or ford.
- TaylorTAY-lurEnglish
A tailor; literally one who cuts cloth. Occupational, and used for both sexes since the 1980s.
Norse and Thor T names
- ThorTHORNorse
Thunder. The god himself, and the first element in most of the names below.
- TorstenTOR-stenNorse
Thor's stone. Common across Sweden and Denmark for a thousand years.
- ThorbjornTOR-byurnNorse
Thor's bear. Two of the heaviest words in the Norse naming stock, joined.
- TrygveTRIG-vehNorwegian
Trustworthy, dependable. Trygve Lie was the first Secretary-General of the United Nations.
- TerjeTAIR-yehNorwegian
Thor's spear, worn down by centuries of Norwegian speech into two soft syllables.
- TroelsTROHLSDanish
Thor plus gisl, which is read as either arrow-shaft or hostage.
- TyrTEERNorse
God: the word itself, not a title given to one. Tyr lost his hand to the wolf Fenrir.
T names from around the world
- Tomastoh-MAHSSpanish
Twin. The Spanish Thomas, with the stress on the second syllable.
- Tommasotom-MAH-zoItalian
Twin. Thomas Aquinas is Tommaso d'Aquino in his own language.
- Tadeusztah-DEH-ooshPolish
An Aramaic byname, traditionally glossed as courageous heart. Pan Tadeusz is Poland's national epic.
- TariqTAH-rikArabic
The one who knocks by night; the morning star. Tariq ibn Ziyad gave his name to Gibraltar.
- Takumitah-KOO-meeJapanese
Master craftsman, the sense of the character that owns this name.
- TejasTAY-jusSanskrit
Radiance; fiery brilliance. The word covers heat, light and personal force at once.
- Timurtee-MOORTurkish
Iron. The conqueror English calls Tamerlane was Timur the Lame.
- TaiwoTIE-wohYoruba
The one sent to taste the world, given to the first of a pair of twins to be born.
- ThaboTAH-bohSotho
Joy; happiness. Thabo Mbeki was the second president of South Africa.
- TuanTWUHNVietnamese
Talented, outstanding, handsome. One of the steadiest Vietnamese boys' names.
- ToivoTOY-vohFinnish
Hope: the noun itself, unaltered and unadorned.
Unique T names
- Taliesintal-YES-inWelsh
Radiant brow, from tal, forehead, plus iesin, shining. A sixth-century bard whose poems survive.
- TadhgTYGEIrish
Poet, philosopher. So common in old Ireland that it became shorthand for the ordinary man.
- TrystanTRIS-tanWelsh
The Welsh spelling, descended from the Pictish name Drust. Unknown in meaning, sure in sound.
- TorinTOR-inUncertain origin
Disputed. It is commonly given as chief, on fairly thin evidence.
- TateTAYTNorse
Glad, cheerful. One syllable, no soft edges, no explanation needed.
- TenochTEH-nochNahuatl
Stone prickly pear, the cactus that grows out of rock. Tenochtitlan is named from it.
- Tigrantee-GRAHNArmenian
Traditionally traced to Old Iranian tigra, pointed or arrow-like. Tigranes the Great ruled Armenia at its widest.
- Tsubasatsoo-BAH-sahJapanese
Wing. The plain Japanese noun, used as a name without alteration.
- ThutmoseTHOOT-mohsAncient Egyptian
Born of Thoth. Four pharaohs of the eighteenth dynasty were called it.
- TarmoTAHR-mohFinnish
Drive: energy and staying power gathered into a single word.