The first name Thomas
A boy’s name from Aramaic meaning “twin”.
Pronounced /ˈtɑ.məs/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Aramaic origin
Thomas means “twin” in Aramaic.
Inherited from Middle English Thomas, from Latin Thōmās m (as in the Vulgate), from Ancient Greek Θωμᾶς m (Thōmâs), the Biblical Greek transcription of Aramaic תאומא or תאמא (“twin”), the nickname of one of the Twelve Apostles. In the gospel of John (11:16, 20:24), the Aramaic nickname is also translated into Greek, as δίδυμος m (dídumos). Used as a given name since the Middle Ages, e.g. Thomas the Presbyter (7th century), Thomas the Slav (8th century), Thomas of Bayeux (died 1100). (infidel or doubter): In reference to the doubting Apostle.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 1,344 boys were named Thomas, making it the 35th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 1996, with 9,603 births (#3).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Thomas with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Thomas at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 6,917 boys born in the United States were named Thomas, the 34th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1952, when 48,647 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Thomas in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Thomas in Danish, Dutch, French, German and Norwegian too.
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Thomas
1,703 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Thomas EdisonAmerican inventor and businessman (1847–1931)
- Thomas JeffersonFounding Father, U.S. president from 1801 to 1809 (1743–1826)
- Thomas MannGerman novelist and Nobel Prize laureate (1875–1955)
- Thomas HobbesEnglish philosopher (1588–1679)
- Thomas PaineAmerican Founding Father, philosopher, and political activist (1737–1809)
- Thomas MoreEnglish statesman, lawyer and philosopher (1478–1535)
- Thomas HardyEnglish novelist and poet (1840–1928)
- Thomas Henry HuxleyBritish biologist and comparative anatomist (1825–1895)
- Thomas Robert MalthusBritish political economist (1766–1834)
- Thomas MüllerGerman association football player, born 1989
- Thomas YoungEnglish polymath (1773-1829)
- Thomas Hunt MorganAmerican biologist and professor from Kentucky (1866–1945)
Questions
- What does the name Thomas mean?
- Thomas means “twin” in Aramaic.
- What is the origin of the name Thomas?
- Inherited from Middle English Thomas, from Latin Thōmās m (as in the Vulgate), from Ancient Greek Θωμᾶς m (Thōmâs), the Biblical Greek transcription of Aramaic תאומא or תאמא (“twin”), the nickname of one of the Twelve Apostles. In the gospel of John (11:16, 20:24), the Aramaic nickname is also…
- How popular is the name Thomas?
- In 2025, 1,344 boys born in England and Wales were named Thomas, ranking 35th. Its peak was 1996, with 9,603 births.
- What are nicknames for Thomas?
- Common nicknames for Thomas include Tommy, Tom.
- Is Thomas a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 2,367,087 US babies named Thomas since 1880 were boys.
- When was Thomas most popular?
- 1952 in the United States, when 48,647 babies were named Thomas, its highest rank at 8th.
- How do you pronounce Thomas?
- Thomas is /ˈtɑ.məs/, 2 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Thomas?
- Thomasine and Thomasin.
- Is Thomas also a surname?
- Yes. Thomas is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.