Thomas
Say it: TOM-us
BoyMeans twin6 letters2 syllables
#16
in Ireland (2025)
#17 with spellings combined
211
babies in 2025
#5
best rank (1965)
36,744
babies since 1964
Down 6
10-year rank change
Thomas through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 211 | #17 |
| 2024 | 230 | #15 |
| 2023 | 227 | #18 |
| 2022 | 246 | #17 |
| 2021 | 288 | #16 |
| 2020 | 271 | #20 |
| 2019 | 284 | #20 |
| 2018 | 324 | #14 |
| 2017 | 291 | #19 |
| 2016 | 328 | #15 |
| 2015 | 379 | #11 |
| 2014 | 362 | #17 |
| 2013 | 412 | #11 |
| 2012 | 403 | #17 |
| 2011 | 403 | #18 |
| 2010 | 347 | #22 |
| 2009 | 411 | #18 |
| 2008 | 432 | #19 |
| 2007 | 440 | #14 |
| 2006 | 432 | #13 |
| 2005 | 397 | #16 |
| 2004 | 371 | #20 |
| 2003 | 375 | #14 |
| 2002 | 349 | #18 |
| 2001 | 377 | #14 |
| 2000 | 351 | #18 |
| 1999 | 332 | #19 |
| 1998 | 306 | #17 |
| 1997 | 449 | #16 |
| 1996 | 476 | #15 |
| 1995 | 387 | #17 |
| 1994 | 451 | #13 |
| 1993 | 466 | #14 |
| 1992 | 520 | #12 |
| 1991 | 503 | #14 |
| 1990 | 502 | #15 |
| 1989 | 499 | #12 |
| 1988 | 592 | #10 |
| 1987 | 634 | #10 |
| 1986 | 658 | #11 |
| 1985 | 687 | #10 |
| 1984 | 730 | #9 |
| 1983 | 707 | #10 |
| 1982 | 828 | #9 |
| 1981 | 823 | #9 |
| 1980 | 844 | #8 |
| 1979 | 794 | #9 |
| 1978 | 811 | #9 |
| 1977 | 770 | #9 |
| 1976 | 826 | #8 |
| 1975 | 823 | #8 |
| 1974 | 884 | #8 |
| 1973 | 996 | #7 |
| 1972 | 942 | #7 |
| 1971 | 1,054 | #6 |
| 1970 | 1,095 | #6 |
| 1969 | 1,139 | #5 |
| 1968 | 1,119 | #6 |
| 1967 | 1,175 | #6 |
| 1966 | 1,265 | #6 |
| 1965 | 1,367 | #5 |
| 1964 | 1,349 | #6 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0. Spellings with and without fadas are combined; the CSO only recorded fadas from 2018.
★ What does Thomas mean?
Twin
Aramaic, through Greek and Latin, the nickname of the apostle Thomas.
Say it right
TOMus
The Th is a plain T. The Irish form, Tomás, is said tuh-MAWSS in Munster and TUM-awss in Connacht.
Not:THOM-us
The story of Thomas
Thomas comes from an Aramaic word meaning twin. It was the nickname of one of the twelve apostles, and the Gospel of John also gives it in Greek as Didymus, which means the same thing. The name passed through Greek and Latin into English and has been a common given name since the Middle Ages. Its Irish form is Tomás.
The apostle is best remembered as doubting Thomas, because he refused to believe that Jesus had risen until he had seen the wounds for himself.
Thomas has been in the Irish top 25 in every year of the CSO records. In 1964 and 1965 more than 1,300 boys a year were named Thomas. It reached number 5 in 1965, and was 17th in 2025 on the combined count. In Northern Ireland it reached sixth place in 2020.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Thomas (English proper noun)
- Wiktionary: Tomás (Irish proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Thomas (given name)
- Wikipedia: Thomas the Apostle
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Nicknames
TomTommy
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Thomas | 211 | 36,737 |
| Thomás | under 3 | 7 |
In Northern Ireland
#18 in 2025 with 74 babies. Best rank #6 (2020); 4,353 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.