Caleb vs Thomas
Caleb 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.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Caleb was ranked #26 and Thomas #11 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2024, Caleb was ranked #97 and Thomas #12 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Caleb was ranked #108 and Thomas #16 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Caleb was ranked #45 and Thomas #18 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Caleb was ranked #42 and Thomas #20 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Caleb was ranked #75 and Thomas #26 among boys in England and Wales.
Caleb and Thomas over time
Caleb and Thomas appear together in 5 published lists, across 158 years of shared records. Thomas held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Caleb in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Thomas reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Caleb 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.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 42 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Caleb and Thomas averaged 32.5 places apart, ending at #45 and #18.
- Mirrored each other
Over 34 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Caleb rose about as far as Thomas fell — from #282 and #10 in 1983 to #108 and #16 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Caleb and Thomas were both ranked in New Zealand · Boys for 42 years, from 1982 to 2023, ending at #45 and #18.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Caleb #51 in 2001, Thomas #3 in 2000.
List by list
New Zealand · Boys42 shared years, 1982–2023
Caleb held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 42.
Highest recorded here: Caleb #12 in 1999, Thomas #4 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Caleb #45, Thomas #18.
Republic of Ireland · Boys34 shared years, 1983–2025
Caleb held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 34.
Highest recorded here: Caleb #91 in 2024, Thomas #10 in 1983.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Caleb #108, Thomas #16.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Caleb held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 29.
Highest recorded here: Caleb #72 in 2023, Thomas #2 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Caleb #75, Thomas #26.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Caleb held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 28.
Highest recorded here: Caleb #20 in 2023, Thomas #6 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Caleb #26, Thomas #11.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys25 shared years, 1996–2024
Caleb held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 25.
Highest recorded here: Caleb #51 in 2001, Thomas #3 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Caleb #97, Thomas #12.
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 | Caleb | Thomas |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | The Greek form of the Aramaic name meaning 'twin'. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Aramaic, via Greek |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /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, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #108 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #13 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Thomas has a recorded origin (Aramaic, via Greek); Caleb does not have one recorded yet.
- Caleb and Thomas both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Thomas; Caleb doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Caleb
Popularity journey
First recorded1982
First recorded at #98 among boys in New Zealand in 1982 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Boys
Highest recorded1982–2023
Highest recorded position: #12 among boys in New Zealand, in 1999 (recorded 1982–2023).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #108 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · 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