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