Namewise

Charlie vs Thomas

Charlie 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, Charlie was ranked #8 and Thomas #11 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2023, Charlie was ranked #9 and Thomas #18 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2025, Charlie was ranked #12 and Thomas #13 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Charlie was ranked #13 and Thomas #16 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Charlie was ranked #17 and Thomas #26 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Charlie was ranked #19 and Thomas #20 among boys in Scotland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Charlie was ranked #211 and Thomas #106 among boys in Norway.

Charlie and Thomas over time

Charlie and Thomas appear together in 6 published lists, across 163 years of shared records. Thomas held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Charlie in 2.

The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Thomas reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, Charlie 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.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2010, Charlie moved ahead of Thomas in England and Wales · Boys — #7 and #6 the year before became #5 and #6.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Charlie and Thomas changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Boys between 2003 and 2023, ending at #9 and #18.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Charlie and Thomas averaged 11.2 places apart, ending at #17 and #26.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 21 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Charlie rose about as far as Thomas fell — from #90 and #9 in 2003 to #9 and #18 in 2023.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Charlie and Thomas were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 33 years, from 1983 to 2025, ending at #13 and #16.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys33 shared years, 1983–2025

    Charlie held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Thomas in 19.

    Highest recorded here: Charlie #5 in 2022, Thomas #10 in 1983.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Charlie #13, Thomas #16.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Charlie held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Thomas in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Charlie #4 in 2012, Thomas #2 in 1998.

    The order changed in 2010: Charlie moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #7 and #6; by 2010 that had become #5 and #6.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Charlie #17, Thomas #26.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Charlie held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Thomas in 12.

    Highest recorded here: Charlie #3 in 2013, Thomas #6 in 2020.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Charlie #8, Thomas #11.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys26 shared years, 2000–2025

    Charlie held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Thomas in 23.

    Highest recorded here: Charlie #8 in 2024, Thomas #3 in 2000.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Charlie #12, Thomas #13.

  • Norway · Boys26 shared years, 1990–2025

    Charlie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 26.

    Highest recorded here: Charlie #189 in 2017, Thomas #1 in 1990.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Charlie #211, Thomas #106.

  • New Zealand · Boys21 shared years, 2003–2023

    Charlie held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Thomas in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Charlie #6 in 2021, Thomas #8 in 2006.

    The order changed in 2020: Charlie moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #10 and #9; by 2020 that had become #7 and #8.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Charlie #9, Thomas #18.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Charlie

Pairs where Charlie shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Thomas

Pairs where Thomas shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

Pairs measured inside England and Wales's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

England and Wales overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Charlie, Thomas
FieldCharlieThomas
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningA diminutive of Charles, ultimately interpreted as 'man' or, by an alternative theory, 'army'.The Greek form of the Aramaic name meaning 'twin'.
OriginEnglish, via Germanic KarlAramaic, via Greek
Pronunciation/ˈtʃɑːli//ˈtɑməs/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNew South Wales, Australia · Boys #12 (2025)New South Wales, Australia · Boys #13 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Charlie is recorded with a English, via Germanic Karl origin, while Thomas is recorded with a Aramaic, via Greek origin.
  • Charlie and Thomas both have 2 syllables.
  • Charlie'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

Charlie

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1983

    First recorded at #282 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1983 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2013 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #12 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

Thomas

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Norway, in 1974 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #13 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys