Meaning, pronunciation, and vibe

Tim

Boy

Greek · English and German /tɪm/

Tim is a compact short form with Greek and Germanic roots. Its connection to Timothy carries “honouring God”; the Dietmar link gives another path.

Origin

Greek

Pronunciation

English and German /tɪm/

Meaning & vibe

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Honouring God; through Dietmar, people and fame

Tim is closely linked to Timothy and Timotheus, from the Greek Timotheos, “honouring God”. German usage also connects it with Dietmar, whose Germanic elements mean “people” and “famous”. These are two different routes into the same short name, rather than parts of one combined meaning. Tim’s quick opening t and soft closing m can give it a friendly, unceremonious feel. It suits a taste for compact names without an elaborate ending. In English and German it is pronounced /tɪm/, with a short vowel. Its history as a short form does not mean that every Tim has Timothy or Dietmar as a longer name.

Etymology: Short form of Timothy/Timotheus, from Greek “honour” and “god”; in German also a short form of Dietmar, from Germanic “people” and “famous”.

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Name popularity

Latest year: 2025

Boys
Rank3,230

Source

SSA records cover Social Security card applications, not every US birth. Names with fewer than 5 occurrences are omitted; gaps do not mean zero. Spellings are kept separate, except that SSA removes spaces and hyphens. Equal counts are ranked alphabetically. Ranks are calculated separately for boys and girls.

Social Security Administration

Origins, variants & nicknames

Names with roots in the Greek language or Greek naming traditions.

Origin

Greek

Origin

Germanic