The baby name Timothy is a classic choice for a son, but it’s fallen out of favor in the last few decades. Can a talented young actor help bring this name back into the spotlight?
Thanks to Candace for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.
WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THE NAME TIMOTHY?
The Greek name Timotheos means “honoring God.” Theos refers to God; timao means “to honor.”
It became Timotheus in Latin.
Medieval England almost always used -y endings for Latin names. Maria became Mary; Margaret transformed to Margery; Zacharias shortened to Zachary.
And so Timotheus became Timothy.
IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
We meet the future Saint Timothy in the New Testament. Timothy’s mother was born to a Jewish family and became a Christian convert; his father was Greek. He eventually serves as the first Bishop of Ephesus.
Timothy is also a companion of Saint Paul on his journeys, and eventually dies a martyr’s death, too.
It’s one of many Biblical names re-discovered during the Protestant Reformation.
Like many similar names, it’s heard in most European languages in some form.
TINY TIM
While famous Timothys and Tims abound, there’s one that might come to mind: Charles Dicken’s Tiny Tim, of A Christmas Carol.
First published in 1843, the story tells of the wealthy, but miserly, Ebenezer Scrooge. He is utterly transformed thanks to a series of ghostly visits one Christmas Eve. Tiny Tim is the young child of Scrooge’s underpaid clerk, Bob Cratchit. The Cratchits are humble, but happy.
Except this Tim is unwell, walking with a crutch. And while the exact nature of his ailment is unclear, the ghostly apparitions warn Scrooge that the boy will surely die without medical help.
All ends happily, of course. Scrooge wakes up on Christmas Day a changed man. He brings a feast to the Cratchits, raises Bob’s salary, and we also learn that he ensures Tim gets medical care and lives a long life.
It’s Tiny Tim who utters the final, memorable line of the story: “God bless us, every one!”
NATURE NAME
While we don’t think of it this way, Timothy might be a nature name.
That’s thanks to Timothy grass, sometimes called timothy-grass or Timothy hay, an abundant perennial grass native to Europe and commonly use as animal feed.
It likely takes its name from Timothy Hanson, an 18th century agriculturalist. The grass was cultivated in New England at the time; Hanson introduced it to the southern US.
TIM, TIMMY, TIMOTHY, TIMOTHEE
But really Timothy is a name, widely recognized across the English-speaking world.
It peaked in the 1960s, making it feel a little bit Baby Boomer.
International takes on the name include the Finnish Timo, Spanish and Italian Timoteo, and the Slavic Timotej and Timotei. And, of course, the French Timothée – but we’ll get back to that name in a minute.
FAMOUS FIGURES
A famous mouse answers to this name: Dumbo’s Timothy Mouse. There’s also Timmy, the youngest member of the flock in British claymation series Shaun the Sheep.
In real life, there’s late ice hockey player Tim Horton. He’s better known for the chain of donut shops. Horton opened his first store in 1964 in Ontario; it expanded rapidly, and has only grown since his death in 1974.
There’s also basketball’s Tim Duncan, singer Tim McGraw, 1960s counter-culture leader Timothy Leary, and Minnesota governor Tim Walz.
Hollywood gives us director Tim Burton and so many actors.
Many of them are of an age: Tim Allen and Tim Curry; Timothy Olyphant and Timothy Hutton. (The later played James Bond in just a single film.)
But there’s a current Timothy in the spotlight now, and one that might make the name feel fresh and new for this generation.
TIMOTHEE CHALAMET
Born in 1995, French-American actor Timothée Chalamet is twice Oscar-nominated, among many other accolades.
He’s headlined many a major motion picture, including the Dune series, Wonka, and most recently, A Complete Unknown. In that last one, he played Bob Dylan – even singing. That 2024 film marks his second Oscar nomination.
He’s wildly popular, considered a fashion icon as well as a leading man.
And while Chalamet uses the French spelling, he also uses the typical American English pronunciation.
HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME TIMOTHY?
But what about the name Timothy?
It’s a rock solid classic, appearing in the US Top 1000 every year that data is available, stretching back to 1880.
While the name peaked in the 1960s, it remains familiar.
As of 2023, the name ranks #211 – fallen quite a bit from its former high, but still in steady use.
It’s a similar story elsewhere in the English-speaking world and across Europe.
Timothee – spelled with two Es – remains rare, but has risen slightly in use, to 21 births as of 2023.
NEGLECTED CLASSIC
If you love choices like Theodore and Henry, Oliver and Sebastian, but want a name that’s far less common, Timothy could be the perfect name.
It’s immediately familiar and strongly traditional, with an appealing list of associations. Plus the young actor might put it on parents’ radar again.
And just like we prefer James to Jim today, opting for the full, three-syllable Timothy differentiates this from a previous generation’s Tim.
I met a baby Timothy a couple of years ago and it made me SO happy. A neglected classic, for sure!