The name Thaddeaus is of Greek origin, derived from the name Theodore, which means 'gift of God.' It was brought to prominence by Thaddeus of Edessa, a companion of Saint Thomas and one of the seventy disciples in the Gospel of Luke. The name has been associated with several early Christian saints, including Thaddeus the Apostle and Thaddeus of Constantinople. In literature, it gained further recognition through Thaddeus Wilson, a character in Mark Twain's 'Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.' The name is often Anglicized to Thaddeus, with common nicknames including Tad or Tade.
The name Thaddeaus appears to have experienced fluctuations in popularity over the past century, with a noticeable spike in usage during the late 1970s to early 1980s and again around the early 2000s. The peak years for this name were 1978 and 1993, each with 10 births recorded. However, it seems that Thaddeaus has not been a consistently popular choice, as there are several years with only five births or fewer.