Namewise

Jacob vs Thomas

Jacob 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, Jacob was ranked #13 and Thomas #11 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2025, Jacob was ranked #42 and Thomas #13 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Jacob was ranked #62 and Thomas #16 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2023, Jacob was ranked #66 and Thomas #18 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Jacob was ranked #27 and Thomas #20 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Jacob was ranked #41 and Thomas #35 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Jacob was ranked #59 and Thomas #106 among boys in Norway.

Jacob and Thomas over time

Jacob and Thomas appear together in 6 published lists, across 266 years of shared records. Thomas held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Jacob in 0.

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.

Thomas reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Jacob 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.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2012, Jacob moved ahead of Thomas in Norway · Boys — #74 and #66 the year before became #55 and #58.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Jacob and Thomas changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2025, ending at #41 and #35.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Jacob and Thomas averaged 12.3 places apart, ending at #41 and #35.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 40 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Jacob rose about as far as Thomas fell — from #321 and #8 in 1980 to #62 and #16 in 2025.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Jacob and Thomas were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #41 and #35.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Jacob #10 in 1999, Thomas #3 in 2000.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys79 shared years, 1945–2025

    Jacob held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Thomas in 64.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #34 in 2017, Thomas #1 in 1974.

    The order changed in 2012: Jacob moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #74 and #66; by 2012 that had become #55 and #58.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jacob #59, Thomas #106.

  • New Zealand · Boys45 shared years, 1977–2023

    Jacob held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Thomas in 33.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #6 in 2003, Thomas #4 in 2001.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Jacob #66, Thomas #18.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys44 shared years, 1982–2025

    Jacob held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 44.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #10 in 1999, Thomas #3 in 2000.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jacob #42, Thomas #13.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys40 shared years, 1980–2025

    Jacob held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 40.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #37 in 2016, Thomas #8 in 1980.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jacob #62, Thomas #16.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Jacob held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Thomas in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #4 in 2013, Thomas #2 in 1998.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Jacob #41, Thomas #35.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Jacob held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Thomas in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Jacob #5 in 2017, Thomas #6 in 2020.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Jacob #13, 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.

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 Jacob

Pairs where Jacob 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 — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

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 Jacob, Thomas
FieldJacobThomas
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'holder of the heel' or 'supplanter', referencing the biblical account of Jacob being born grasping his twin brother Esau's heel. A less common alternate theory holds it may derive from a longer form meaning roughly 'may God protect'.The Greek form of the Aramaic name meaning 'twin'.
OriginBiblical Hebrew, via Greek and LatinAramaic, via Greek
Pronunciation/ˈdʒeɪkəb//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 observationEngland and Wales · Boys #41 (2025)New South Wales, Australia · Boys #13 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Jacob is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek and Latin origin, while Thomas is recorded with a Aramaic, via Greek origin.
  • Jacob and Thomas both have 2 syllables.
  • Jacob'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

Jacob

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #273 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 recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in England and Wales, in 2013 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #41 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · 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 #35 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys