FastNamesThomas
Aramaic and Greek name meaning "Derived from Aramaic Te'oma (תְּאוֹמָא), meaning 'twin', adapted into Ancient Greek as Thomas (Θωμᾶς).". Ranked 34th for boys in 2025.
Meaning and origin of Thomas
Derived from Aramaic Te'oma (תְּאוֹמָא), meaning 'twin', adapted into Ancient Greek as Thomas (Θωμᾶς).
Linguistically, Thomas is classified under Aramaic and Greek naming traditions. It is typically pronounced "TOM-uhs".
Popularity and ranking
In official US Social Security birth records from 1880 through 2025, Thomas has been given to a total of 2,358,576 boys. It has also been given to 8,511 girls.
Peak year: Thomas reached its highest relative share among boys in 1951, when 48,275 babies received the name (25,640 per million births).
All-time best rank: 8th place, first achieved in 1880.
Recent standing (2025): Ranked 34th with 6,917 births. Ten years earlier in 2015, it ranked 51st (up 17 spots).
Busiest decade: More boys were named Thomas in the 1950s than in any other decade (454,385 births).
| Decade | Recorded births |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Source: Social Security Administration, national baby name data, data through 2025. Names given to fewer than five babies of one sex in a year aren't published, so totals are a little lower than actual births.
Where Thomas is most common in the US
Accounting for when Thomas was in fashion nationally, it has been most heavily concentrated in the following states (measured against the expected rate from each state's births):
- New Jersey: 1.5 times the national rate (95,022 births since 1910).
- Connecticut: 1.4 times the national rate (38,282 births since 1910).
- Delaware: 1.4 times the national rate (6,791 births since 1910).
- Massachusetts: 1.4 times the national rate (83,245 births since 1910).
- Rhode Island: 1.4 times the national rate (13,026 births since 1910).
Source: Social Security Administration, baby names by state, data through 2025. Names given to fewer than five babies of one sex in a state in a year aren't published, so totals are a little lower than actual births.
How many people have the name Thomas?
About 1,468,000 living American boys and men share the name Thomas. Additionally, an estimated 5,400 living American girls and women share the name.
The median age of an American named Thomas is 58 years old.
Estimated from Social Security Administration records (1880–2025) and official SSA cohort mortality tables.
History of the name Thomas
Thomas originates from the Aramaic word te'oma, signifying 'twin', which was translated into Greek as Didymos. In the New Testament, Saint Thomas was one of the original twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ, celebrated for his insistence on physical proof of the Resurrection—a skepticism that gave rise to the phrase 'doubting Thomas' before his profound confession of faith. He is venerated as the patron saint of architects and builders, having according to tradition carried the Christian message to southern India.
Following the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, Thomas rose rapidly to become one of the most prominent baptismal names in Christendom, immensely bolstered by the cult and martyrology of Saint Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury (1118–1170). The name remained a foundational pillar of British and colonial American naming, borne by transformative leaders including Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence and third U.S. President.
Throughout the entire history of United States Social Security records, Thomas has exemplified the gold standard of evergreen American boy names. It ranked within the national top ten for over thirty consecutive years from 1931 through 1966, consistently welcoming more than 40,000 newborn boys per year at its peak, and has remained an enduring classic across generations.
Notable people named Thomas
- Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), 3rd U.S. President and principal author of Declaration of Independence
- Thomas Edison (1847–1931), American inventor and businessman
- Thomas Hardy (1840–1928), English novelist and poet
- Thomas More (1478–1535), English lawyer, social philosopher, author of Utopia, and statesman
Variants and related names
Spelling variants
Diminutives and nicknames
Related names
Sources and references
- Patrick Hanks, Kate Hardcastle, Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of First Names (2006), p. 260.
- E. G. Withycombe. The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names (1977), p. 278.
- Douglas Harper. Online Etymology Dictionary. Reference link.