Tim is a name of German origin that comes from the name Timothy. The name Timothy itself is derived from the Greek name Τίμωθῖ (Timotheos), which means "honoring God." This name was popular among early Christians and was carried by one of the Twelve Apostles, Saint Timothy, who accompanied Saint Paul on his missionary journeys.
The name Tim has been used for centuries but it gained significant popularity in English-speaking countries during the 19th century. It is a short form of Timothy or other names that begin with Tim-, such as Timotheus or Timo.
Tim is often seen as a friendly and approachable name, due to its informal nature. However, it can also sound quite sophisticated when used as a full name like Timothy. The name has been worn by many notable figures throughout history, including the American novelist and short-story writer, Tim O'Brien, and the British actor, Tim Roth.
Overall, Tim is a classic name with a rich history that has stood the test of time. Its meaning, "honoring God," reflects its early Christian roots, while its German origin adds an international touch to this enduring name.
The name Tim has been consistently popular in the United States over the past century and a half, with a significant increase in its popularity during the mid-20th century.
From the years 1880 to 1949, the number of births with the name Tim fluctuated between single digits and double digits. However, starting from 1950, there was a notable surge in the popularity of the name Tim. In that year alone, there were 754 births with the name Tim.
This trend continued throughout the 1950s and 1960s, reaching its peak in 1958 with 6831 births. The popularity of the name Tim remained high during the 1960s and early 1970s, with over 4000 births per year between 1962 and 1973.
However, the popularity of the name Tim started to decline in the late 1970s. By the mid-1980s, the number of births with the name Tim had fallen below 100 per year. This downward trend continued throughout the 1990s and into the early 2000s.
Despite this decline, the name Tim has remained relatively popular in recent years. Between 2015 and 2023, there were an average of 47 births with the name Tim per year.
In total, over the past century and a half, there have been approximately 83,282 births with the name Tim in the United States.