Espen vs Thomas
Espen 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Espen was ranked #5119 and Thomas #26 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Espen was ranked #430 and Thomas #106 among boys in Norway.
Espen and Thomas over time
Espen and Thomas appear together in 2 published lists, across 97 years of shared records. Thomas held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Espen in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Thomas reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Espen 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.
- Longest-running competitions
Espen and Thomas were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #430 and #106.
List by list
Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025
Espen held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Thomas in 64.
Highest recorded here: Espen #8 in 1982, Thomas #1 in 1974.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Espen #430, Thomas #106.
England and Wales · Boys16 shared years, 2002–2024
Espen held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 16.
Highest recorded here: Espen #2693 in 2018, Thomas #3 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Espen #5119, Thomas #26.
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 | Espen | 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 | GB-ENW, NO | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #430 (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) | 60/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Thomas has a recorded origin (Aramaic, via Greek); Espen does not have one recorded yet.
- Espen and Thomas both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Thomas; Espen doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, NO.
How each name got here
Espen
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #315 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: #8 among boys in Norway, in 1982 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #430 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