Meaning: Its source is Theodorus, a Greek name meaning "God's gift."

Languages: This girl's name is used in English and Greek.

Nicknames: Dora, Teddy, Theda and Theo

Variant Forms: Thedorsha, Thedrica and Theodra

Non-English Forms: Teodora and Feodoriya

Popularity: The name Theodora ranked 1099th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Narrative: Most names began as simple expressions. Nothing demonstates this fact better than a comparison between Theodora and Dorothea. The only difference between these names is the order of the elements that make them up -- precisely the same as the difference between the phrases ''God's gift'' and ''Gift of God.''