Short form of Timothy, from Greek 'timotheos' meaning honoring God.
Tim is the warm, approachable diminutive of Timothy, which derives from the Greek Timotheos (Τιμόθεος), a compound of timē ("honor") and theos ("god") — meaning roughly "one who honors God." The name traveled into the ancient world through the New Testament, where Timothy was a beloved companion and protégé of the apostle Paul. Two of Paul's epistles are addressed directly to him, making Timothy one of the most personally documented figures in early Christian history.
Saint Timothy later became the first bishop of Ephesus, cementing the name's importance in the early church. Over the centuries Timothy — and its affectionate short form Tim — spread across Europe through ecclesiastical influence. In English-speaking culture Tim became a fixture by the medieval period, though it peaked in popularity across the 20th century.
It carries a reliable, unpretentious warmth that made it the name of choice for beloved fictional figures: Tiny Tim in Dickens's A Christmas Carol is perhaps the most culturally resonant, a name synonymous with fragile optimism. In the modern era, Tim is worn by innovators and creatives alike — Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web; Tim Burton, director of darkly whimsical films; and Apple CEO Tim Cook — lending it a quiet confidence and versatility that keeps it timeless without feeling trendy.