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Name at a glance

Theodora

Theodora is a Greek name meaning 'gift of God.'

Ranked #726 in US baby names in 2025, rising over the past 5 years.

Theodora is remembered across Christian tradition through multiple Saints Theodora, most prominently the 5th-century penitent hermit of Alexandria and the Byzantine Empress Theodora.

Browse names
OriginGreek
GenderGirl
FeelByzantine
Pronunciationthee-oh-DOR-uh

Is Theodora biblical?

No

Biblical status Not in Scripture

Theodora is not a biblical name; it is a Greek name meaning gift of God that entered Christian use through Byzantine naming culture.

Is Theodora a Christian name?

Yes

Christian tradition Saint or church-history heritage

Theodora gained its Christian heritage through multiple Saints Theodora, from fifth-century Alexandria to the Byzantine empresses, attested in Catholic and Orthodox tradition.

Plain answer

Theodora is not a biblical name, but it is an established Christian name through multiple Saints Theodora and its Byzantine and Orthodox heritage.

Confidence Moderate Last reviewed July 19, 2026 How this works

Meaning

The meaning of Theodora

Theodora comes from the Greek Theodora (Θεοδώρα), combining theos ('God') with doron ('gift'). The traditional English rendering is 'gift of God.' Theodora is the feminine equivalent of Theodore; the etymology parallels Dorothea, which reverses the same two elements. The Greek form passed through Latin Theodora into most European languages unchanged, with a Slavic Feodora variant descending through Church Slavonic.

Sound

How to pronounce Theodora

Phonetic
thee-oh-DOR-uh
IPA
/θioʊˈdɔːɹə/

4 syllables · stress: thee-oh-DOR-uh · ends in a vowel

Forms

Variants and nicknames

Alternate spellings

  • Theodore (masc)
  • Theodosia
  • Fedora
  • Feodora

Short forms and nicknames

  • Theo
  • Dora
  • Teddy

Languages

Theodora in other languages

Greek
ΘεοδώραTheodōraThe Greek form combines theos ("God") with doron ("gift"), the feminine equivalent of Theodore. The etymology directly parallels Dorothea, which reverses the same two elements.
Latin
Theodora
Spanish
Teodora
French
Théodora
German
Theodora
Italian
Teodora
Russian
ФеодораFeodora

Christian background

Christian and biblical background

Theodora is not a biblical name; it entered Christian tradition through the Greek naming culture of the early Byzantine church, and gained saint attestation through multiple Saints Theodora. The most historically prominent Theodora is the 6th-century Byzantine Empress Theodora (roughly 500 to 548 AD), wife and co-ruler of Justinian I, remembered as a defender of Miaphysite Christianity against Chalcedonian orthodoxy; her figure remains politically complex in East-West church history. Saint Theodora of Alexandria (5th century) is the cleaner cross-tradition saint attestation. Additional Saints Theodora include the 9th-century Empress Theodora who restored icon veneration after the Iconoclast period, and Saint Theodora of Sihla in Romanian Orthodox tradition. Modern usage is strongest in Greek, Eastern European Orthodox, and Ethiopian Orthodox families. For more on the Christian saint tradition and how it shapes naming choices across denominations, see Early Christian saint names.

Bearers

Notable people named Theodora

  • historical

    Saint Theodora of Alexandria5th-century penitent hermit of Alexandria who disguised herself as a monk to enter a monastic community after her adultery

  • historical

    Empress Theodora (wife of Justinian I)Byzantine Empress and co-ruler with Justinian I, defender of Miaphysite Christianity against Chalcedonian orthodoxy, roughly 500 to 548 AD

  • historical

    Empress Theodora (regent)9th-century Byzantine Empress and regent for her son Michael III, credited with restoring icon veneration after the Iconoclast period, roughly 815 to 867 AD

  • historical

    Saint Theodora of Sihla17th-century Romanian Orthodox hermit and saint, roughly 1650 to 1729

Saint

Saint Theodora of Alexandria

Traditions
Catholic, Orthodox
Patron of
penitents

Multiple Saints Theodora appear across Christian tradition; the site anchors the saintAssociation on Saint Theodora of Alexandria (5th century) whose cross-tradition attestation (Catholic + Orthodox) is cleaner than the politically complex Empress Theodora (roughly 500 to 548), whose defense of Miaphysite Christianity against Chalcedonian orthodoxy remains a contested figure in East-West church history. Empress Theodora is nonetheless the most historically prominent Theodora and is honored as a saint in the Coptic Orthodox and Syriac Orthodox traditions. Additional Saints Theodora include the 9th-century Byzantine Empress and regent Theodora who restored icon veneration after the Iconoclast period, and Saint Theodora of Sihla in the Romanian Orthodox tradition. The name carries strong Byzantine and Orthodox naming register across all four figures.

Naming history

Naming tradition and history

Theodora has sustained naming presence particularly in Greek Orthodox and Slavic Orthodox families. In the 2025 SSA data Theodora ranks #726 (girls), inside the top of the second thousand with modest but genuine current use. The name has climbed steadily since the 2000s as part of the broader vintage-classical revival in American naming.

Recent US use

Theodora in recent US use

Rank in 2025
#726
Peak rank
#506 in 1908
Recent trend
rising over the last 5 years
Years in the SSA records
145 (since 1880)

Source: US Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880-2025.

For families

For families looking at Theodora

For a Christian family, Theodora carries the register of Greek etymology ('gift of God'), Byzantine imperial and saint-tradition heritage, and cross-Orthodox naming register. Ranked #726 in US baby names in 2025 with sustained modest current use.

Common questions

What does Theodora mean?

Theodora is a Greek name meaning 'gift of God,' combining theos ('God') with doron ('gift'). It is the feminine equivalent of Theodore.

Is Theodora a biblical name?

No. Theodora is a Greek name that entered Christian tradition through Byzantine naming culture rather than through scripture. Multiple Saints Theodora gave the name its Christian heritage.

Is Theodora a Christian name?

Yes. Theodora has strong Christian heritage particularly in Greek Orthodox and Slavic Orthodox traditions. Multiple Saints Theodora, from 5th-century Alexandria through 17th-century Romania, anchor the name across Orthodox naming traditions.

How popular is the name Theodora?

Theodora ranked #726 in US baby names in 2025, inside the top of the second thousand and rising through the 2020s vintage-classical revival. The name has strongest presence in Greek Orthodox, Slavic Orthodox, and vintage-revival naming registers.

Sources

Sources for Theodora

  • A Greek-English Lexicon, Liddell, Scott, and JonesSupports: Greek etymology (theos + doron); meaning 'gift of God'.
  • The Oxford Dictionary of Saints, David Hugh Farmer (5th edition)Supports: Saint Theodora of Alexandria; multiple Saints Theodora across Catholic and Orthodox tradition.
  • National baby names data, US Social Security Administration (2025 release)Supports: US popularity.

Last reviewed July 19, 2026. See our methodology, or report an error on the corrections page.

Read next

Related names

MonicaBoth are Christian saint-tradition women's names with strong pre-medieval attestation. Theodora runs through the Byzantine and Orthodox traditions; Monica through the North African Latin tradition (as Augustine's mother).CeciliaBoth are early Christian saint-tradition women's names with sustained cross-tradition use. Theodora runs through the Byzantine East; Cecilia through the early Roman West.FelicityBoth are Latin- or Greek-derived Christian heritage women's names in the classical saint-tradition register. Felicity from Latin felicitas; Theodora from Greek theos + doron.