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Friday, September 14, 2012

Usual Nickname, Unexpected Name--Theo/Thea

Theo is one of those nicknames we're likely to be seeing a lot more of. It just reappeared on the SSA charts for the first time in nearly 70 years--right on cue for a revival. Its traditional full form, though, Theodore, is either old-man chic, or permanently stuck in Chipmunk-territory, depending on who you ask.
As for poor Thea, she's not been seen in many a year, nor have her usual full forms, the twin sisters Dorothea & Theodora.

  • Philotheos (fil-oth-EH-os, Greek)--"friend of God"
  • Theobald (THEE-oh-bahld, THEH-oh-bahld, Germanic)--"of bold people"
  • Theocritus (thee-OK-rit-us, Latin)--from Greek, "judged by God"
  • Theodard (THEH-oh-dard, Latin)--from Germanic, "of strong people"
  • Theodolf (THEH-oh-dolf, Germanic)-- "of the wolf people"
  • Theodoric (thee-OD-ohr-ik, Germanic)--"people's ruler"
  • Theodosius (thee-oh-DOH-see-us, Latin)--from Greek, "giving to God"
  • Theodotus (thee-oh-DOH-tus, Latin)--from Greek, "given to God"
  • Theodulus (thee-oh-DOO-lus, Latin)--from Greek, "servant of God". Modern French form is Théodule.
  • Theofried (THEH-ah-freed, Latin)--from Germanic, "of peaceful people"
  • Theophilus (thee-OF-il-us, Latin)--from Greek, "friend of God".  Modern forms include Théophile (French), Theofilus (Dutch), & Theophil (German).
  • Theopont (THEH-ah-pont, Greek)--"sea of God"

  • Alethea (ah-LAY-thee-ah, ah-lah-THEE-ah, English)--from Greek, "truth"
  • Althea (ahl-THEH-ah, ahl-THEE-ah, Greek)--"healing"
  • Amalthea (ah-mahl-THEE-ah, ah-mahl-THEH-ah, Greek)--"soothing"
  • Anthea (an-THEE-ah, an-THEH-ah, Greek)--"flower"
  • Eidothea (ay-doth-EH-ah, Greek)--"knowledge goddess"
  • Pasithea (pas-ih-THEH-ah, Greek)--"acquired goddess"
  • Praxithea (praks-ih-THEH-ah, Greek)--"commerce goddess"
  • Theodosia (thee-oh-DOHS-yah, Greek)--"giving to God"
  • Theokleia (thee-oh-KLAY-ah, Greek)--"glory of God"
  • Theolinde (theh-oh-LEEN-deh, Latin)--from Germanic, "of tender people"
  • Theomilla (theh-oh-MEEL-lah, German)--Greek [theo] + Slavic [milla], "God's grace"
  • Theonoe (theh-on-OH-ee, Greek)--"intelligent goddess"
  • Theophania (thee-of-AN-yah, Greek)--"appearance of God"
  • Theophila (thee-OF-il-ah, Greek)--"friend of God"
  • Theophora (theh-OF-or-ah, thee-OF-or-ah, Greek)--"bearing God"
  • Timothea (tim-oh-THEH-ah, tim-oh-THEE-ah, English)--from Greek, "honoring God"

3 comments:

  1. I met a Philothea a couple of weeks ago!

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    Replies
    1. Oh, how pretty! Of course, it's the one 'thea' name I managed to forget. :p

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  2. This is one of my favorite lists. I love Theo as a nickname. Still trying to convince my husband we should add Theodore to our boy name list.

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