Edward vs Thomas
Edward 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, Edward was ranked #177 and Thomas #11 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Edward was ranked #75 and Thomas #13 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Edward was ranked #125 and Thomas #16 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Edward was ranked #73 and Thomas #18 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Edward was ranked #181 and Thomas #20 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Edward was ranked #31 and Thomas #26 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Edward was ranked #189 and Thomas #106 among boys in Norway.
Edward and Thomas over time
Edward and Thomas appear together in 6 published lists, across 324 years of shared records. Thomas held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Edward in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Thomas reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Edward in 2. 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 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Edward and Thomas averaged 29.1 places apart, ending at #31 and #26.
- Mirrored each other
Over 70 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Thomas rose about as far as Edward fell — from #48 and #44 in 1952 to #75 and #13 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Edward and Thomas were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 70 years, from 1952 to 2025, ending at #75 and #13.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Edward #17 in 1965, Thomas #5 in 1965.
List by list
Norway · Boys73 shared years, 1950–2025
Edward held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 73.
Highest recorded here: Edward #168 in 2012, Thomas #1 in 1974.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Edward #189, Thomas #106.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys70 shared years, 1952–2025
Edward held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 70.
Highest recorded here: Edward #42 in 2015, Thomas #3 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Edward #75, Thomas #13.
New Zealand · Boys62 shared years, 1954–2023
Edward held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Thomas in 61.
Highest recorded here: Edward #51 in 1955, Thomas #8 in 1991.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Edward #73, Thomas #18.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Edward held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 62.
Highest recorded here: Edward #17 in 1965, Thomas #5 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Edward #125, Thomas #16.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Edward held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 29.
Highest recorded here: Edward #23 in 2016, Thomas #2 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Edward #31, Thomas #26.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Edward held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 28.
Highest recorded here: Edward #104 in 1997, Thomas #6 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Edward #177, Thomas #11.
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 | Edward | 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 | /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 | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #75 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #13 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 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); Edward does not have one recorded yet.
- Edward and Thomas both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Thomas; Edward doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Edward
Popularity journey
First recorded1950
First recorded at #324 among boys in Norway in 1950 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #17 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #75 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · 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