# Theophilus (first name)

Source: https://namelineage.com/first-name/theophilus/  
Publisher: Name Lineage. US counts from the Social Security Administration; England and Wales counts from the Office for National Statistics; meaning and etymology from Wiktionary. Data updated 2026-11-11.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Usually given to | boys |
| Origin | Latin |
| Meaning | “love of god”, “friend of god” |
| Pronunciation | /θiːˈɒfɪləs/, 3 syllables |
| Nicknames | none recorded |
| Variant spellings | none recorded |
| US babies named this | 2,448 since 1880 |
| Boys / girls in the US | 2,448 / 0 (0% girls) |
| Babies in England and Wales | 163, 1996 to 2025 |

## Etymology

From Middle English Theophilus, from Latin Theophilus, from Ancient Greek Θεόφιλος (Theóphilos), meaning "love of God" or "friend of God".

## What it means

Theophilus is grouped under friend, god and love.

## Popularity

The last 15 years of each series. A year is missing when too few babies were given the name for the agency to publish it: five in the US, three in England and Wales.

### United States, boys

| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 18 | 5,177 |
| 2012 | 36 | 3,167 |
| 2013 | 38 | 2,991 |
| 2014 | 39 | 2,978 |
| 2015 | 34 | 3,358 |
| 2016 | 48 | 2,619 |
| 2017 | 40 | 3,001 |
| 2018 | 49 | 2,615 |
| 2019 | 42 | 2,939 |
| 2020 | 43 | 2,837 |
| 2021 | 44 | 2,855 |
| 2022 | 68 | 2,166 |
| 2023 | 63 | 2,272 |
| 2024 | 65 | 2,231 |
| 2025 | 57 | 2,417 |

### England and Wales, boys

| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 12 | 1,788 |
| 2012 | 4 | 3,987 |
| 2013 | 13 | 1,706 |
| 2014 | 7 | 2,690 |
| 2015 | 5 | 3,373 |
| 2016 | 7 | 2,804 |
| 2017 | 7 | 2,734 |
| 2018 | 3 | 4,749 |
| 2019 | 10 | 2,104 |
| 2020 | 6 | 2,960 |
| 2021 | 5 | 3,451 |
| 2022 | 3 | 4,789 |
| 2023 | 3 | 4,991 |
| 2024 | 6 | 3,254 |
| 2025 | 8 | 2,664 |

## In other languages

- Armenian: Թեոփիլոս
- Bulgarian: Теофил
- French: Théophile
- Greek: Θεόφιλος
- Italian: Teofilo
- Polish: Teofil
- Russian: Феофи́л
- Spanish: Teófilo

## People named Theophilus

- John Theophilus Desaguliers, French-born British natural philosopher and clergyman
- Theophilus Ebenhaezer Dönges, former elected State President of South Africa who died before being able to take office (
- Theophilus Van Kannel, American engineer (1841–1919)
- Theophilus London, American rapper and singer
- Theophilus Shepstone, British South African statesman (1817-1893)
- Theophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of Suffolk, English Earl
- Theophilus Cibber, English writer (1703-1758)
- Henry Theophilus Finck, American music critic (1854–1926)
- Oliver Jones, Canadian musician
- George Walker, American classical composer (1922–2018)
- Bull Connor, American politician and segregationist (1897-1973)
- Theo Pinson, American basketball player (born 1995)

## How to read these numbers

A count is babies registered with that name in that year, not people alive now, so a name common a century ago can have a large total and few recent births.