| Lotus | Theo | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | The lotus flower | gift of God |
| Origin | Greek | greek |
| Gender | Unisex | Unisex |
| Pronunciation | LOH-tus | THEE-oh |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1896 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2023 (140) | 2023 (4,140) |
| In 2025 | 110 | 3,945 |
| Trend | Rising | Near its peak |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Lotus | Theo |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 717 | 20,784 |
| 2010s | 834 | 8,189 |
| 2000s | 314 | 1,386 |
| 1990s | 56 | 600 |
| 1980s | 34 | 540 |
| 1970s | 46 | 386 |
| 1960s | 23 | 323 |
| 1950s | 77 | 371 |
| 1940s | 89 | 440 |
| 1930s | 161 | 680 |
| 1920s | 213 | 980 |
| 1910s | 160 | 714 |
| 1900s | 26 | 226 |
| 1890s | 16 | 118 |
| 1880s | 0 | 93 |
Lotus names the sacred water flower, a symbol of purity and rebirth.
Short form of Theodore (or feminine Theodora), from Greek theos 'God' + doron 'gift'. Carries the 'gift of God' sense of the full name; on its own the element theos means 'God'.
Theo is more popular than Lotus today: about 3,945 US babies were given the name Theo in 2025, compared with 110 named Lotus.
Lotus means The lotus flower (Greek origin), while Theo means gift of God (greek origin).
In US records, Lotus first appears in 1896 and Theo in 1880, so Theo has the longer recorded history.