Theodora

Meaning of Theodora

Theodora, a stately offshoot of the Greek Theodoros, literally means “gift of God,” a sentiment that has carried the name from Byzantine court to modern playground without losing much of its polish. In Greek the stress falls cleanly on the second‐to‐last syllable (thee-o-DOR-ah), while contemporary English speakers usually soften the middle vowel (thee-uh-DOR-uh). History offers a roster of formidable namesakes—most famously the sixth-century Empress Theodora, whose political acuity and flair for silk mosaics left historians slightly breathless, and several medieval saints whose charitable reputations burnished the name’s pious sheen. In the United States, Theodora has never been a chart-topper, yet her steady, low-key presence since the 1880s hints at quiet durability; recent upticks—from the 800s in the 1990s to the low 600s today—suggest that parents are rediscovering her vintage charm. Nicknames such as Thea, Teddy, and Dora provide casual wearability, while the full form retains an air of book-lined studies and high tea—proof that gravitas and approachability can, on occasion, share the same calling card.

Pronunciation

Greek

• Pronunced as thee-o-DOR-ah (/θiːoʊˈdɔrə/)

English

• Pronunced as thee-uh-DOR-uh (/θiːəˈdɔrə/)

• Thalia
• Dorothea
• Thea
• Dorothy
• Isadora