Declining since 1987, #34 for boys today.
Popularity of Thomas since 1880
Babies named Thomas per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 23,750 |
| 1890s | 21,115 |
| 1900s | 21,783 |
| 1910s | 91,619 |
| 1920s | 161,107 |
| 1930s | 183,878 |
| 1940s | 350,775 |
| 1950s | 454,385 |
| 1960s | 327,055 |
| 1970s | 186,739 |
| 1980s | 177,817 |
| 1990s | 146,638 |
| 2000s | 102,106 |
| 2010s | 70,027 |
| 2020s | 39,782 |
Meaning & origin
Thomas has been a common English-speaking name for over eight hundred years, so its American chart position moves the way glaciers do. The Social Security peak came in 1951, at the height of the midcentury classics era; the descent since 1987 has been so gradual that in 2025 the name still ranks 34th, reaching about one boy in 247.
Its current strongholds, Vermont, Wyoming, and the District of Columbia, sketch an odd coalition of old New England, the rural West, and the capital, which is roughly what a name looks like when it belongs to no region in particular. Thomas simply persists everywhere, sustained by family trees in which a Thomas appears every second or third generation.
That is the real case for it now: the name is an infrastructure classic, like William or Henry, with a bearer list running from Becket to Jefferson to Edison. Parents who choose it are not betting on a trend in either direction, seventy-plus years past its peak, Thomas is about as fashion-proof as American naming gets.
The apostle Thomas bore an Aramaic byname meaning "twin", the Gospel of John also calls him Didymus, Greek for the same thing, and Thōmas is its Greek spelling. The Normans brought the name to England, where the 1170 martyrdom of Archbishop Thomas Becket made it one of the two or three commonest men's names of the English Middle Ages, a status it held for centuries. American history is thick with bearers, Jefferson and Edison foremost. In Social Security data Thomas peaked in 1951, when it sat near the top of the national charts, and has eased downward since 1987 without ever approaching obscurity.
Read more: Thomas on Wikipedia
Where Thomas is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Thomas” around the world
Where Thomas lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
455
babies in 2024
Ireland
#16
in 2025
New Zealand
#27
in 2025
Quebec
#8
in 2025
Australia (NSW)
#13
in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · CSO Ireland (Ireland) · NZ Dept of Internal Affairs (New Zealand) · Retraite Québec (Quebec) · NSW Registry of BDM (Australia (NSW)).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Tom, Tommy
Famous people named Thomas
- Thomas Becket · twelfth-century Archbishop of Canterbury and martyr
- Thomas Jefferson · principal author of the Declaration of Independence and third U.S. president
- Thomas Edison · inventor of the phonograph and practical electric light
Sibling names for Thomas
Names that share Thomas's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Margaret, Eleanor, Catherine, Jane, Alice, Ann, Anna, Callie, Caroline, Clare, Ellen, Harriet, Joanne, Katherine, Laura, Marian, Martha, Mary, Maryann, Robin, Tessa, Theresa, Aileen, Annamarie, Annemarie, Carlyn, Carole, Cathryn, Charity, Johanna, Justina, Katheryn, Kathrine, Kathryne, Katie, Lizabeth, Madeleine, Margarette, Mariann, Maribeth, Maryanne, Nanci, Rhoda, Robbin, Roseann, Roseanna, Rosemarie, Tamra, Ammy, Annice, Beckie, Betsey, Bettyann, Cate, Catheryn, Darcey, Delories, Elinore, Elizbeth, Female, Francene, Georgiann, Georgianne, Ileen, Joannie, Johannah, Johna, Katharyn, Katheryne, Kathyrn, Lisabeth, Magdalen, Magdaline, Marijo, Marye, Marykate, Maryland, Nicol, Norene, Rozanne, Suzann, Tereasa, Terresa, Thomasine, Thresa, Anmarie, Annamay, Annarose, Betzy, Bridgitte, Catherin, Chari, Cicily, Donnamarie, Eilleen, Ellamarie, Ellenor, Faithe, Faythe, Georgeanne, Girl, Jannett, Joane, Joesphine, Jone, Josepha, Lisanne, Magalene, Maggi, Mame, Mariellen, Maryclaire, Maryhelen, Marykathryn, Meribeth, Robina, Rosary, Salley, Sallyann, Sophy, Threasa, Tresea, Trishia, Alizon, Annet, Donne, Emmajane, Georgeann, Jannetta, Josphine, Judyann, Jullie, Kathalene, Kathlean, Kathline, Kathrin, Margaretmary, Marrianne, Marykatherine, Marymargaret, Marynell, Michaelene, Morene, Roann, Rozanna, Ruthell, Saraann, Sarajane, Tamla, Teresea, Teresia, Tersa, Thomasa, Thomasene, Christee, Hanne, Anniebell, Athleen, Carolan, Dorice, Elizebath, Elleen, Ellinore, Eustacia, Francys, Jennet, Katheren, Kathreen, Kitti, Laurey, Lizbett, Magdelene, Maripat, Marypat, Suzzane, Thersea
Brothers: William, Henry, James, George, Charles, Andrew, John, Joseph, Robert, Joan, Johnnie, Laurence, Peter, Phillip, Simon, Davy, Hamilton, Harris, Little, Pete, Robb, Zebedee, Douglass, Geoff, Henery, Junious, Lawrance, Mathieu, Matthews, Rich, Sumner, Wiliam, Willem, Wm, Zacchaeus, Andrews, Charls, Domnick, Fleming, Harrie, Hillery, Jessey, Jonn, Judas, Keene, Kennieth, Kennis, Loretto, Martyn, Mathews, Michiel, Nichols, Purcell, Richrd, Roberts, Rodgers, Simpson, Stefen, Thimothy, Timothey, Watt, Geffrey, Jenkins, Jeorge, Johannes, Johnjoseph, Johnpatrick, Larwence, Piers, Ricahrd, Richad, Richar, Richerd, Robertson, Stephenson, Tarance, Willim, Bunyan, Davidlee, Geoge, Harvy, Jamas, Richards, Roberth, Thijs
Names like Thomas
Names whose popularity has moved with Thomas's over the last 50 years.
