UK boy's name
Theoden
A masculine Old English name meaning "ruler of the people".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Theoden is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Theoden popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1859, with 13 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2024, with 13 births.
This profile covers 90 England and Wales registrations across 15 recorded years from 2004 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
Theoden is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 89 living people in the UK are called Theoden. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Theoden ranked #1859 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 13 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2024, when 13 boys were registered as Theoden.
- • About 89 living people in the UK are estimated to have Theoden as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1859
2024
Births in 2024
13
Latest year
Peak year
2024
13 births
Estimated living
89
2026
Meaning
What does Theoden mean?
The name Theoden has its origins in Old English, derived from the elements "þeod" meaning "people" or "nation" and "ēn" meaning "lord" or "ruler." It dates back to the Anglo-Saxon period in Britain, around the 5th to 11th centuries AD. This name was commonly used among the ruling class and nobility of that time, reflecting the authority and leadership associated with the title "lord of the people."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Theoden can be found in the epic poem Beowulf, which is believed to have been composed between the 8th and 11th centuries. In this work, Theoden is mentioned as the name of a king of the Geats, a Germanic tribe that inhabited what is now southern Sweden.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Theoden appeared sporadically in various historical records and chronicles, primarily in England and other parts of the British Isles. One notable bearer of the name was Theoden of Mercia, who ruled the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia from around 679 to 690 AD.
In the 17th century, the name Theoden gained renewed popularity due to its inclusion in the works of the English poet John Milton. In his epic poem Paradise Lost, published in 1667, Milton used the name Theoden as a character, further contributing to its recognition and association with literary works.
Another famous figure bearing the name Theoden was Theoden Pendragon, a British historian and writer who lived from 1816 to 1891. He is best known for his works on Arthurian legends and Celtic mythology.
In more recent times, the name Theoden gained widespread recognition through its use in J.R.R. Tolkien's literary masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings. In this epic fantasy novel, Theoden is the name of the King of Rohan, a valiant leader who plays a crucial role in the battle against the forces of Sauron.
While the name Theoden may not be as common in modern times, it remains a powerful and evocative name with a rich historical and literary heritage, evoking images of leadership, nobility, and the enduring legacy of the Anglo-Saxon era.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Theoden over time
The chart below shows babies named Theoden registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2004 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Theoden, the clearest high point is 2024. The latest England and Wales figure is 13 births in 2024, compared with 13 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Theoden by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Theoden was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #2705 | 44 | 5 |
| 2010s | #3670 | 35 | 7 |
| 2000s | #3651 | 11 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Theoden
- Thomas 160,894
- Tyler 42,147
- Theo 40,594
- Toby 32,482
- Theodore 30,211
- Tommy 25,300
- Teddy 20,781
- Taylor 14,354
- Tobias 13,102
- Tom 9,822
- Tristan 9,171
- Timothy 6,200
FAQ
Theoden: questions and answers
How popular is the name Theoden in the UK right now?
In 2024, Theoden was ranked #1859 for boys in England and Wales, with 13 births registered.
When was Theoden most popular?
The peak year on record was 2024, with 13 babies registered as Theoden in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Theoden?
A masculine Old English name meaning "ruler of the people".
How many people are called Theoden in the UK?
A total of 90 babies have been registered as Theoden across the 15 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.