Ted

Ted is a masculine given name, commonly a diminutive form of Theodore and, less often, of Edward or Edmund. As a standalone name, Ted has been used in English-speaking countries for many decades. Theodore comes from Greek elements theos, meaning “god,” and doron, meaning “gift.” Edward derives from Old English elements ead, meaning “wealth” or “fortune,” and weard, meaning “guardian,” while Edmund combines ed, meaning “prosperity,” with mund, meaning “protector.” The nickname Ted is often shortened to Teddy, while some bearers use Ted as their formal given name.

Numerous notable people have been named Ted. Ted Williams (1918–2002) was an American Hall of Fame baseball player. Ted Turner (born 1938) is a media entrepreneur who founded CNN and Turner Broadcasting. Edward M. “Ted” Kennedy (1932–2009) served as a long-time U.S. senator from Massachusetts. Rafael Edward Cruz, commonly known as Ted Cruz (born 1970), is a U.S. senator from Texas. Ted Danson (born 1947) is an American actor, and Ted Bundy (1946–1989) is known as a convicted serial killer. The name also appears in fiction, such as Ted Lasso, the titular character of the television series.

In popular usage, TED refers to Technology, Entertainment, Design, a nonprofit organization known for its TED Talks—short presentations intended to spread ideas around the world. The acronym has influenced conference culture and online media, where talks are shared widely. The name Ted also appears in various films and works of fiction, including the 2012 comedy film Ted about a talking teddy bear directed by Seth MacFarlane.