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    The first name Thompson

    A boy’s name meaning “son of thomas”, “mctavish”.

    Pronounced /ˈtɑmp.sən/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Thompson means “son of thomas”, “mctavish”.

    Variant of Thomson, from Tom + -son, originally meaning "son of Thomas". In some instances of people so named, a calque of Scottish Gaelic MacTamhais (“McTavish”); also an anglicisation of the Gaelic name MacTamhais, meaning "son of Thomas".

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    Thompson last appeared in the official list in 2017, given to 3 boys. It peaked in 2000, with 3 births (#3,036).

    0510 1996200020052010201520202025
    12
    babies named Thompson, 1996–2025
    #4,812
    rank in 2017
    2000
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Thompson with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Thompson at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 59 boys born in the United States were named Thompson, the 2,359th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2018, when 76 were.

    04080 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    2,748
    babies named Thompson since 1880
    #2,359
    rank in 2025
    2018
    peak year

    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.

    Nicknames and spellings

    Other spellings and forms

    • Tompson
    • Tomson
    • Thomson
    • Thomason
    • Thomasson

    Famous people named Thompson

    9 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Thompson Mann
      American swimmer (1942–2019)
    • Thomas McKean Thompson McKennan
      American politician (1794-1852)
    • Alfred Thompson Bricher
      American painter (1837-1908)
    • Zoey Deutch
      American actress, born 1994
    • E. A. Wallis Budge
      British academic (1857–1934)
    • Les Baxter
      American musician, singer, composer (1922–1996)
    • Nick Swisher
      American baseball player, born 1980
    • Henry Nicholas
      American businessman and convicted felon, born 1959
    • Patrick Vallance
      British physician (born 1960)

    Questions

    What does the name Thompson mean?
    Thompson means “son of thomas”, “mctavish”.
    How popular is the name Thompson?
    In 2017, 3 boys born in England and Wales were named Thompson, ranking 4,812th. Its peak was 2000, with 3 births.
    Is Thompson a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a boy's name: 99% of the 2,748 US babies named Thompson since 1880 were boys.
    When was Thompson most popular?
    2018 in the United States, when 76 babies were named Thompson, its highest rank at 1,956th.
    How do you pronounce Thompson?
    Thompson is /ˈtɑmp.sən/, 2 syllables.
    What are other spellings of Thompson?
    Tompson, Tomson, Thomson, Thomason and Thomasson.
    Is Thompson also a surname?
    Yes. Thompson is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.