How to say it
THE · a
ˈθiː.ə
Feminine
Thea
Goddess
What it means
Greek thea, 'goddess'; also a short form of Dorothea or Althea.
Thea is the Greek word for 'goddess,' and in myth Theia was a Titan, the mother of the sun, the moon, and the dawn. It doubles as a short form of longer names like Dorothea and Althea, but it stands easily on its own. Airy and two-vowel-soft, it fits the current taste alongside Mia and Nova. Said THEE-a. Theia is the fuller mythological spelling.
How to spell Thea
The standard spelling is Thea. Common variants include Theia, Tia, Téa, but Thea is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #268 in 2017, currently #353 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Nickname
Works alone or as a short for Dorothea, Althea, or Anthea.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Theia Greek Titan goddess of sight and heavenly light
Spelling variants
- Theia
- Tia
- Téa
Names with the same feeling
See Thea from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Thea mean?
- Greek thea, 'goddess'; also a short form of Dorothea or Althea.
- What does Thea mean in Greek?
- In Greek, Thea means "Goddess." Thea is the Greek word for 'goddess,' and in myth Theia was a Titan, the mother of the sun, the moon, and the dawn. It doubles as a short form of longer names like Dorothea and Althea, but it stands easily on its own. Airy and two-vowel-soft, it fits the current taste alongside Mia and Nova. Said THEE-a. Theia is the fuller mythological spelling.
- Is Thea short for Dorothea?
- Yes. Thea is a short form of Dorothea, and it carries the same meaning, "Goddess." These days many parents use Thea as a given name in its own right, not only as a nickname.
- How do you pronounce Thea?
- Thea is pronounced ˈθiː.ə. Say it as THE-a, with the stress on the "the" syllable.
- How do you spell Thea?
- The standard spelling is Thea. Common spelling variants include Theia, Tia, Téa.
- Is Thea a boy or girl name?
- Thea is traditionally a feminine name.
- How popular is the name Thea?
- Thea ranked #353 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.