Namewise

Caleb vs Tommy

Caleb and Tommycompared 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 Tommy #20 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Caleb was ranked #42 and Tommy #20 among boys in Scotland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Caleb was ranked #108 and Tommy #27 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Caleb was ranked #75 and Tommy #39 among boys in England and Wales.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2023, Caleb was ranked #45 and Tommy #68 among boys in New Zealand.

Caleb and Tommy over time

Caleb and Tommy appear together in 3 published lists, across 85 years of shared records. Tommy held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Caleb in 1.

The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Tommy reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Caleb in none. 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.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2019, Tommy moved ahead of Caleb in Northern Ireland · Boys — #28 and #58 the year before became #36 and #33.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Caleb and Tommy changed places 6 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1983 and 2025, ending at #108 and #27.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Caleb and Tommy averaged 35.7 places apart, ending at #75 and #39.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Caleb and Tommy were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 34 years, from 1983 to 2025, ending at #108 and #27.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Caleb #20 in 2023, Tommy #11 in 2023.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys34 shared years, 19832025

    Caleb held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Tommy in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Caleb #91 in 2024, Tommy #21 in 2023.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Caleb #108, Tommy #27.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

    Caleb held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Tommy in 24.

    Highest recorded here: Caleb #72 in 2023, Tommy #22 in 2020.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Caleb #75, Tommy #39.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys22 shared years, 19992024

    Caleb held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Tommy in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Caleb #20 in 2023, Tommy #11 in 2023.

    The order changed in 2019: Tommy moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #28 and #58; by 2019 that had become #36 and #33.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Caleb #26, Tommy #20.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Caleb, Tommy
FieldCalebTommy
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #108 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #27 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Caleb and Tommy both have 2 syllables.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Caleb

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1982–2023

    Highest recorded position: #12 among boys in New Zealand, in 1999 (recorded 1982–2023).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #108 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

Tommy

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #268 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1999–2024

    Highest recorded position: #11 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2023 (recorded 1999–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #97 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys