boy's name
Thomas
TOM-us
- Origin Aramaic
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Top 100 (US)
- Births on record 2,914,261
the United States
#34
2025 births
Thomas is a boy's name of Aramaic origin meaning "twin," from te'oma. It belongs to the apostle who refused to believe in the resurrection without physical evidence, an episode that gave English the phrase "doubting Thomas."
- Thomas is a name of Aramaic origin.
- Peaked in 1952, when 48,725 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 479 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Thomas over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 23,841 |
| 1890s | 21,238 |
| 1900s | 21,929 |
| 1910s | 92,063 |
| 1920s | 162,051 |
| 1930s | 184,710 |
| 1940s | 351,737 |
| 1950s | 455,339 |
| 1960s | 328,237 |
| 1970s | 187,856 |
| 1980s | 178,967 |
| 1990s | 146,924 |
| 2000s | 102,261 |
| 2010s | 70,110 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 39,824 |
What Thomas means
Thomas means twin, from the Aramaic te'oma. It began as a descriptive byname rather than a personal name — the Gospel of John glosses it with the Greek Didymos, which also means twin, effectively translating the nickname for Greek readers.
Where Thomas comes from
Thomas comes from the Aramaic te'oma, meaning twin, and the Gospel of John twice pairs it with the Greek Didymos, giving readers the translation directly. Whose twin he was is never stated, and later apocryphal traditions filled the gap in various ways. The apostle's demand to touch the wounds before believing in the resurrection produced the enduring English idiom "doubting Thomas." The name became extremely common in medieval England following the murder of Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170 and his rapid canonization, which made his shrine the most visited in England — the destination of the pilgrims in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.
Thomas in use
Thomas began as a descriptive byname meaning twin, and the gospels translate it rather than treating it as a name.
How popular is Thomas?
In 2025, Thomas was given to 6,924 babies in the United States, ranking #34 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Where Thomas is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
How Thomas is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Thomás | Thomás is a rare spelling of Thomas, written with a fada and recorded 7 times, mostly in Ireland. | 7 |
Names that peaked alongside Thomas
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Thomas also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Thomas over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
3 nicknames for Thomas
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Thomas in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Thomas
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Thomas — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Thomas
What does the name Thomas mean?
Thomas means "twin," from the Aramaic te'oma.
Where does "doubting Thomas" come from?
From the apostle Thomas, who refused to believe in the resurrection without physical evidence.
Why did Thomas become so common in England?
Largely through the cult of Thomas Becket, murdered in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170.
How popular is the name Thomas?
In 2025, Thomas was given to 6,924 babies in the United States, ranking #34 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Is Thomas a girl's or a boy's name?
Thomas is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Thomas?
Thomas has 2 syllables.
When was Thomas most popular?
Thomas peaked in 1952, when 48,725 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Thomas?
Thomas is usually shortened to Tom, Tommy and Thom.
Is Thomas a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Thomas currently ranks #10 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.