Timothy

Greek

"honoring God"

Timothy Origin and Meaning

The name Timothy is a boy's name of Greek origin meaning "honoring God".

A second-tier classic, the New Testament Timothy moves in and out of fashion more than John and James. But though it peaked in the 1960s, many modern parents still appreciate its familiarity and lively rhythm. And the short form Tim feels eternally boyish.

Saint Timothy, born of a Jewish mother and a Greek father, was Saint Paul's companion, which might make the two appropriate and compatible twin names. Timothy was well used among early Christians but not popular in the English-speaking world until the eighteenth century. In the U.S., Timothy was just outside the Top 10 in the 1960s and stayed in the Top 100 until 2008.

In literature, there is the unforgettable Timothy Cratchit, aka Tiny Tim. In real life, there are director Tim Burton and several well-known actors, as well as a slew of star athletes.

Timothy also qualifies as a botanical name thanks to Timothy grass sometimes known simply as Timothy, which resembles cat's-tail and is used as cattle feed.

Timothy Rank in US Top 1000

# 211 in the US

Timothy Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

# 457 on Nameberry

Popularity of the name Timothy

• 211 US 2023
• 457 Nameberry 2025
• 800 Future 2028
• 401 England 2023

20 Names Similar to Timothy

These 20 names were selected by our users that were looking for other names like Timothy.

• Robert
• Paul
• Stephen
• Richard
• John
• David
• Martin
• Joseph
• Christopher
• Philip
• Jonathan
• Gregory
• Mark
• Carl
• Michael
• Anthony
• Peter
• Alan
• Patrick
• Adam

Famous People Named Timothy

• Saint Timothy bishop of Ephesus
• Timothy I III of Alexandria, popes
• Timothy James 'Tim' Curry English actor and singer
• Timothy David Olyphant American actor
• Timothy Richard "Tim" Tebow American football player
• Timothy Michael "Tim" Kaine American politician; governor of Virginia
• Timothy Peter Dalton Welsh actor
• Timothy Lancaster West English actor
• Timothy Francis Leary American psychologist and LSD advocate
• Timothy Tarquin Hutton American actor
• Timothy Leonard Spall English actor
• Timothy Michael Omundson American actor
• Timothy Alan Dick birth name of American actor Tim Allen
• Timothy Leroy "Tim" Lincecum American baseball pitcher
• Timothy Bruce Schmit bassist for American bands Poco and The Eagles
• Timothy Franz Geithner former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury
• Timothy Zahn American science fiction novelist
• Timothy John "Tim" Berners Lee, English inventor of the World Wide Web
• Timothy Busfield American actor
• Timothy James Bottoms American actor
• Timothy Dingwall Bateson English actor
• Timothy I Nestorian patriarch of the Church of the East
• Timothy Michael "Tim" Healy Irish politician
• Timothy F. "Tim" LaHaye American Christian novelist
• Timothy Perry Shriver American Special Olympics chairman
• Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch English actor
• Timothy Mark Pimentel Eigenmann birth name of Sid Lucero, Filipino actor
• Timothy Kane "Tim" Sheehy American ice hockey player
• Timothy Alan Davan Sainsbury English businessman and politician
• Timothy Richard 'Tim' Heidecker American comedian known for comedy duo "Tim and Eric"
• Timothy Matthew Howard “Tim” American soccer player
• Timothy Melia “Tim” American soccer player

The name Timothy in Pop Culture

• 1 & 2 Timothy epistles in the New Testament
• Timothy "Timmy" Turner main character of animated series "Fairly Odd Parents"
• "The Odd Life of Timothy Green " 2012 movie and main character
• Timothy main character in "The Cay" by Theodore Taylor
• Timothy McGee character from TV show "NCIS"
• "Timothy Goes to School " animated series about a raccoon
• Timothy Q. Mouse character in Disney's "Dumbo"
• Timothy Lovejoy reverend on TV's "The Simpsons"
• Timothy tank engine on animated series "Thomas & Friends"
• "Timothy " song by The Buoys
• Timothy's World Coffee Canadian chain
• Timothy common species of grass
• Timothy Jackson "Tim" Drake formerly known as Robin, sidekick DC Comic's Batman, currently known as Red Robin
• Timothy character in The Fosters
• Timothy Kreider character in the webcomic "Riverside Extras" by Miri Chamberlain
• Timothy "Tim" Riggins character in Friday Night Lights
• Timothy Wright full name of Masky from Marble Hornets
• Timothy "Tim" Stoker bisexual icon on "The Magnus Archives"

International Variations of the name Timothy

• Tiriro Russian
• Timok Russian
• Timot Hungarian
• Tyoma Russian
• Timoteo Spanish
• Timotheos Greek
• Tisha Russian
• Tymek Polish
• Timoteus Norwegian
• Timun Greek
• Timo Finnish
• Timothé French
• Timofel Russian
• Timofey Russian
• Timothée French
• Timka Russian
• Timon French
• Tima Russian
• Timotei Bulgarian
• Tymon Polish
• Timotheus German
• Tiomoid Irish
• Timito Spanish
• Tymoteusz Polish
• Teemofe Russian
• Tishka Russian