Meaning: Its source is Timotheos, a Greek name meaning "God's honor."

Nickname For: Timothy

Popularity: The name Timmy ranked 479th in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Though this name has fluctuated in use, it has been quietly present throughout the last century.

Narrative: The Timothy of Christian scripture was a companion of St. Paul. According to tradition, he was martyred after denouncing worshippers of the Greek moon goddess Diana.

Nineteenth-century novelist Charles Dickens created an enduring association with this name in his beloved work A Christmas Carol. The story turns on the fate of the crippled but ever-cheerful Tiny Tim, who exhorts us every holiday season with the cry, ''God bless us, every one!''