Alex vs Thomas
Alex and Thomascompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2013, Alex was ranked #90 and Thomas #7 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Alex was ranked #108 and Thomas #11 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2018, Alex was ranked #96 and Thomas #14 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Alex was ranked #37 and Thomas #16 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Alex was ranked #135 and Thomas #20 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Alex was ranked #171 and Thomas #26 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Alex was ranked #259 and Thomas #106 among boys in Norway.
Alex and Thomas over time
Alex and Thomas appear together in 6 published lists, across 234 years of shared records. Thomas held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Alex in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Thomas reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, Alex in 1. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Alex and Thomas changed places 8 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1972 and 2025, ending at #37 and #16.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 27 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Alex and Thomas averaged 59.5 places apart, ending at #90 and #7.
- Mirrored each other
Over 53 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Alex rose about as far as Thomas fell — from #279 and #7 in 1972 to #37 and #16 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Alex and Thomas were both ranked in New Zealand · Boys for 31 years, from 1987 to 2018, ending at #96 and #14.
List by list
Norway · Boys66 shared years, 1954–2025
Alex held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 66.
Highest recorded here: Alex #154 in 2009, Thomas #1 in 1974.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alex #259, Thomas #106.
Republic of Ireland · Boys53 shared years, 1972–2025
Alex held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Thomas in 46.
Highest recorded here: Alex #8 in 2009, Thomas #7 in 1972.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Alex #37, Thomas #16.
New Zealand · Boys31 shared years, 1987–2018
Alex held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 31.
Highest recorded here: Alex #27 in 2004, Thomas #4 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Alex #96, Thomas #14.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Alex held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 29.
Highest recorded here: Alex #42 in 2002, Thomas #2 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alex #171, Thomas #26.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Alex held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 28.
Highest recorded here: Alex #31 in 2009, Thomas #6 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Alex #108, Thomas #11.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys27 shared years, 1987–2013
Alex held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 27.
Highest recorded here: Alex #53 in 2005, Thomas #3 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2013: Alex #90, Thomas #7.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Alex | Thomas |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | A short form of Alexander, Alexandra and other names beginning with 'Alex' — from Greek elements meaning 'defender' and 'man/people'. | The Greek form of the Aramaic name meaning 'twin'. |
| Origin | Greek, short form | Aramaic, via Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈæl.ɪks/ | /ˈtɑməs/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #37 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #13 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Alex is recorded with a Greek, short form origin, while Thomas is recorded with a Aramaic, via Greek origin.
- Alex and Thomas both have 2 syllables.
- Alex's recorded meaning differs from Thomas's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Alex
Popularity journey
First recorded1954
First recorded at #346 among boys in Norway in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1972–2025
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2009 (recorded 1972–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #259 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Thomas
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #177 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Norway, in 1974 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #13 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys