boy's name
Tommy
TOM-ee
- Origin Aramaic
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Top 100 (E&W)
- Births on record 227,463
the United States
#658
2025 births
Tommy is a boy's name of Aramaic origin meaning "twin." It is a pet form of Thomas, from the Aramaic te'oma, and in Britain it also carries a strong military association as the nickname for a common soldier.
- Tommy is a name of Aramaic origin.
- Peaked in US records in 1947, when 4,649 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade in US records.
- Today about 1 in 454 babies in England and Wales is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Tommy over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. Tommy is more popular in England and Wales — see the country table below. 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 | 94 |
| 1890s | 164 |
| 1900s | 438 |
| 1910s | 1,982 |
| 1920s | 7,247 |
| 1930s | 20,227 |
| 1940s | 37,422 |
| 1950s | 35,314 |
| 1960s | 29,865 |
| 1970s | 16,533 |
| 1980s | 10,601 |
| 1990s | 9,110 |
| 2000s | 6,762 |
| 2010s | 3,599 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 2,317 |
What Tommy means
Tommy means twin, inherited from Thomas. The Aramaic word was originally a descriptive byname rather than a personal name, applied to someone who was a twin.
Where Tommy comes from
Tommy shortens Thomas, from the Aramaic te'oma, twin, which the Greek New Testament glosses as Didymos — the same meaning in Greek. The apostle Thomas is called the Twin without the text ever saying whose. The name was rare in England until Thomas Becket's murder in 1170 and rapid canonisation made it one of the most common names in the country. Tommy Atkins, a specimen name used on British Army paperwork from 1815, gave Tommy its second life as the standard term for a British soldier, fixed permanently by the First World War.
Tommy in use
Our data shows Tommy stable, peaking in 1947, at 44 in England and Wales against 658 in the United States. It first appears in our records in 1880. The soldier association is specifically British and does not travel — American usage carries none of it.
How popular is Tommy?
In 2025, Tommy was given to 1,160 babies in England and Wales, ranking #44 that year. It is one of the most popular names in England and Wales.
Where Tommy is used
England and Wales figures withhold any name given to fewer than three babies in a year. The historical chart above uses US records, the only series running back to 1880. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Tommy
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Tommy also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Tommy over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
1 nickname for Tommy
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.
Tommy 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 Tommy
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Tommy — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Tommy
What does the name Tommy mean?
Tommy means "twin," from the Aramaic te'oma, by way of Thomas.
Why are British soldiers called Tommy?
Tommy Atkins was a specimen name used on British Army forms from 1815. The First World War fixed it as the term for an ordinary soldier.
Is Tommy short for Thomas?
It began that way and is now widely registered as a name in its own right in Britain.
How popular is the name Tommy?
In 2025, Tommy was given to 1,160 babies in England and Wales, ranking #44 that year. It is one of the most popular names in England and Wales.
Is Tommy a girl's or a boy's name?
Tommy is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Tommy?
Tommy has 2 syllables.
When was Tommy most popular?
Tommy peaked in 1947, when 4,649 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Tommy?
Tommy is usually shortened to Tom.
Is Tommy a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Tommy currently ranks #20 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.