Thibaud

Thibaud is a masculine given name of French origin. It is the French form of Theobald, a Germanic name derived from the elements theud- “people” and bald “bold,” commonly interpreted as “the people’s bold one” or “noble and bold.” The name has numerous cognates and spellings, including Thibaut, Tibaut, Tibault, and Theobaldus in Latin; in other languages it appears as Theobald (English) or Teobaldo (Spanish/Italian).

Historical usage and variants have kept Thibaud prominent in medieval and early modern France, where it appeared among clerics, nobles, and scholars in genealogical and literary sources. Over time, the spelling diversified, and modern French usage favors Thibaut and Thibaud in different regions and families. The name has also spread to other Francophone areas and can appear in historical records and contemporary naming practices.

Pronunciation is typically French, with the initial “Th” functioning as a consonant cluster that yields a sound close to a hard “t.” The name is usually pronounced as tee-boh, with the final -ud often softened in colloquial speech. Variants like Thibaut share the same pronunciation pattern.

In contemporary usage, Thibaud remains part of the traditional repertoire of French names, though it is less common for newborns today than in the past. It is sometimes encountered in literature, historical works, and genealogical contexts, and it persists as a given name in France and among Francophone communities.

See also: Theobald, Teobaldo, Theobaldus.