Boy Names That Start With T
T names have had a moment. Theodore climbed into the US top ten in the 2020s (SSA data), dragging Teddy, Theo and Thaddeus back into fashion with it — but the letter also covers breezy surname names like Tucker and Tate, and heroes from Arthurian legend and Norse myth.
Here are more than 100 boy names that start with T, sorted by style and explained with real meanings and origins. For side-by-side browsing, open our boy names that start with S and girl names that start with T; for the bigger picture, our boy names hub links every list we have.
Popular T names for boys
The T names American parents choose most, according to recent Social Security data.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Theodore | Gift of God | Greek |
| Theo | Short for Theodore; “god” | Greek |
| Thomas | Twin | Aramaic |
| Tyler | Tile maker | English |
| Tristan | Possibly from Celtic Drustan, “tumult” | Celtic / French |
| Timothy | Honoring God | Greek |
| Travis | Toll collector at a crossing | French / English |
| Tucker | Fuller, cloth finisher | English |
| Tobias | God is good | Hebrew |
| Thiago | Saint James (Portuguese form) | Portuguese |
| Tate | Cheerful | Old Norse / English |
| Titus | Possibly “title of honor” | Latin |
| Trevor | Large settlement | Welsh |
| Tanner | Leather tanner | English |
| Troy | The ancient city; also “foot soldier” (Irish) | Greek / Irish |
| Tony | Short for Anthony, “priceless one” (popular etymology) | Latin |
| Taylor | Tailor | English / French |
| Trent | Possibly “trespasser” (the River Trent) | English |
Vintage and classic T names
Distinguished, slightly old-fashioned choices. For more, see classic boy names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Thaddeus | Possibly “heart” or “courageous” | Aramaic |
| Truman | Faithful man | English |
| Terrence | From the Roman family name Terentius | Latin |
| Teddy | Nickname for Theodore or Edward | English |
| Ted | Short for Theodore or Edward | English |
| Thurston | Thor’s stone | Old Norse / English |
| Tiberius | Of the Tiber river | Latin |
| Thatcher | Roof thatcher | English |
| Townsend | End of the town | English |
| Tobiah | God is good | Hebrew |
| Thornton | Thorn-bush settlement | English |
| Tommy | Pet form of Thomas | English |
| Talbot | Possibly “messenger”; a hunting hound | Norman English |
| Tennyson | Son of Dennis | English |
| Terry | Pet form of Terrence | English |
| Theron | Hunter | Greek |
Modern T names with an edge
Short, contemporary names that feel fresh on a baby and strong on an adult. More in our cool boy names.
| Name | Meaning | Vibe |
|---|---|---|
| Tatum | Cheerful (Tate’s homestead) | Sporty, upbeat |
| Tripp | Traveler; also “the third” | Preppy |
| Truett | Loyal, true | Southern charm |
| Tobin | Short for Tobias, “God is good” | Friendly |
| Talon | Claw of a bird of prey | Fierce |
| Titan | Giant of Greek myth | Big and bold |
| Thorin | Bold one; Tolkien’s dwarf king | Fantasy |
| Tex | From Texas | Cowboy |
| True | Genuine, loyal | Word name |
| Tobey | Variant of Toby | Laid-back |
| Tyson | Firebrand; son of Dionysius | Athletic |
| Trace | Path, track | Country |
| Tru | Short for Truman | Minimalist |
| Timber | Wood, forest | Outdoorsy |
Biblical T names
Scripture names starting with T. See the full list of biblical boy names.
| Name | Meaning | Where it appears |
|---|---|---|
| Tobit | God is good | Book of Tobit |
| Thaddaeus | One of the twelve apostles | Mark 3 |
| Timon | Honoring | Acts 6 |
| Tychicus | Fortunate | Acts 20 |
| Terah | Meaning uncertain; father of Abraham | Genesis 11 |
| Tertius | Third | Romans 16 |
| Tubal | Possibly “thou shalt be brought” | Genesis 10 |
Irish, Scottish and Welsh T names
Celtic T names with pronunciation. More in Irish boy names and Welsh boy names.
| Name | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Tadhg | TIGE (rhymes with tiger minus -er) | Poet, philosopher |
| Tiernan | TEER-nan | Little lord |
| Torin | TOR-in | Chief |
| Tomás | toh-MAWSS | Irish form of Thomas, “twin” |
| Turlough | TUR-lokh | Instigator |
| Taliesin | tal-YES-in | Shining brow (legendary Welsh bard) |
| Tudur | TID-eer | Welsh form of Theodore; root of “Tudor” |
| Tomos | TOM-oss | Welsh form of Thomas |
| Tavish | TAV-ish | Twin (from MacTavish) |
| Tearlach | CHAR-lakh | Scottish Gaelic form of Charles |
| Teague | TEEG | Anglicized Tadhg, “poet” |
| Tyrone | tih-ROHN | Eoghan’s land (an Ulster county) |
International boy names starting with T
T names from Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa and the Pacific.
| Name | Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Tiago | Portuguese | Saint James |
| Teo | Spanish / Italian | God (short for Teodoro) |
| Teodor | Scandinavian / Slavic | Gift of God |
| Timo | Finnish / German | Short for Timotheus, “honoring God” |
| Tomasz | Polish | Twin |
| Torsten | Scandinavian | Thor’s stone |
| Tor | Norwegian | Thunder (Thor) |
| Tarik | Arabic | Morning star; night visitor |
| Taha | Arabic | Opening letters of a Quran chapter |
| Tamim | Arabic | Complete, perfect |
| Tarun | Sanskrit | Young, tender |
| Tejas | Sanskrit | Radiance, brilliance |
| Takumi | Japanese | Artisan, skilled (common reading) |
| Takeshi | Japanese | Warrior, brave |
| Taiga | Japanese | Big river (common reading) |
| Tenzin | Tibetan | Holder of the teachings |
| Tupac | Quechua | Royal, shining |
| Tendai | Shona (Zimbabwe) | Be thankful |
| Tunde | Yoruba | Has returned (short for Babatunde) |
| Tane | Maori | Man; god of forests |
| Taavi | Finnish | Form of David, “beloved” |
| Tamás | Hungarian | Twin |
| Toma | Romanian / Bulgarian | Twin |
| Tanvir | Arabic / Urdu | Enlightened, radiant |
| Tzvi | Hebrew | Deer, gazelle |
| Tal | Hebrew | Dew |
Mythology and legend T names
Gods, heroes and kings for a name with a story. See mythology boy names and Norse god names.
| Name | Who they were | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Thor | Norse god of thunder | Thunder |
| Tyr | Norse god of war and justice | God |
| Triton | Greek messenger of the sea | Possibly “of the third” |
| Theseus | Greek hero who slew the Minotaur | Possibly “to set, establish” |
| Telemachus | Son of Odysseus | Far from battle |
| Tarquin | Legendary king of Rome | Etruscan, meaning unknown |
| Tancred | Norman crusader hero | Thought counsel |
| Tristram | Variant of Tristan, Arthurian knight | Tumult; sad (folk etymology) |
| Toby | Short for Tobias, “God is good” | Biblical nickname |
How to choose a T name for your baby boy
- Think about Theodore overload. Theo is one of the fastest-rising names of the decade. If you love it but want something rarer, try Thaddeus, Tobias or Teodor.
- Test the rhythm. Two-syllable T names (Tucker, Tristan) flow well with one- or three-syllable surnames. Our two-syllable boy names list has more.
- Choose your nickname on purpose. Thomas gives Tom or Tommy; Theodore gives Teddy or Theo; Tobias gives Toby. Decide which you’ll use daily.
- Honor heritage. Tadhg and Tiernan nod to Irish roots; Torsten and Tor to Scandinavian; Tenzin to Tibetan Buddhist tradition.
- Check the initials. A T name with some middle and last names spells words you won’t love — jot them down.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular boy name starting with T?
Theodore. It rose into the US top ten in the 2020s according to Social Security Administration data. Thomas, Theo and Thiago are also widely used.
What are rare boy names that start with T?
Tadhg, Taliesin, Tudur, Turlough, Tancred, Tychicus, Tendai and Telemachus are real, historic names you’ll almost never hear in the US.
What T names mean “gift of God”?
Theodore, Teodor and Tudur all come from the Greek Theodoros, “gift of God.” Browse more names that mean gift.
How do you pronounce Tadhg?
Tadhg is pronounced “TIGE,” rhyming with the first part of “tiger.” It’s an Irish name meaning “poet” or “philosopher.”
Is Theo a full name?
Yes. Theo is used as a standalone name as well as a nickname for Theodore, Theodoric or Theon.