Jack vs Thomas
Jack 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.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Jack was ranked #2 and Thomas #16 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Jack was ranked #4 and Thomas #18 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Jack was ranked #4 and Thomas #11 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Jack was ranked #7 and Thomas #20 among boys in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Jack was ranked #10 and Thomas #13 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Jack was ranked #22 and Thomas #26 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Jack was ranked #432 and Thomas #106 among boys in Norway.
Jack and Thomas over time
Jack and Thomas appear together in 6 published lists, across 264 years of shared records. Jack held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Thomas in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 3 of the lists they share.
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 1998, Jack moved ahead of Thomas in New Zealand · Boys — #12 and #8 the year before became #6 and #10.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Jack and Thomas changed places 5 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2025, ending at #432 and #106.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Jack and Thomas averaged 3.2 places apart, ending at #22 and #26.
- Mirrored each other
Over 36 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Jack rose about as far as Thomas fell — from #78 and #11 in 1988 to #4 and #18 in 2023.
- Longest-running competitions
Jack and Thomas were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 40 years, from 1986 to 2025, ending at #10 and #13.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Jack #1 in 1996, Thomas #2 in 1998.
List by list
Norway · Boys78 shared years, 1945–2025
Jack held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Thomas in 75.
Highest recorded here: Jack #151 in 1956, Thomas #1 in 1974.
The order changed in 1953: Thomas moved ahead. In 1952 they stood at #182 and #192; by 1953 that had become #171 and #150.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jack #432, Thomas #106.
Republic of Ireland · Boys53 shared years, 1970–2025
Jack held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Thomas in 23.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2000, Thomas #6 in 1970.
The order changed in 1996: Jack moved ahead. In 1995 they stood at #19 and #17; by 1996 that had become #12 and #15.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jack #2, Thomas #16.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys40 shared years, 1986–2025
Jack held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Thomas in 11.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2003, Thomas #3 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jack #10, Thomas #13.
New Zealand · Boys36 shared years, 1988–2023
Jack held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Thomas in 10.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2005, Thomas #4 in 2001.
The order changed in 1998: Jack moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #12 and #8; by 1998 that had become #6 and #10.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Jack #4, Thomas #18.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Jack held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Thomas in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 1996, Thomas #2 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jack #22, Thomas #26.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Jack held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Thomas in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2001, Thomas #6 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jack #4, 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 | Jack | Thomas |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | God is gracious (via John), though now used as an independent name. | The Greek form of the Aramaic name meaning 'twin'. |
| Origin | English, historically a diminutive of John | Aramaic, via Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdʒæk/ | /ˈtɑməs/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Jankin | 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 | Republic of Ireland · Boys #2 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #13 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Jack is recorded with a English, historically a diminutive of John origin, while Thomas is recorded with a Aramaic, via Greek origin.
- Jack has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Thomas.
- Jack'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.
- The available evidence gives Jack a "high" Data Confidence level and Thomas a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Jack
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #171 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 1996 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #10 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