Namewise

James vs Tom

James and Tomcompared 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, James was ranked #1 and Tom #60 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, James was ranked #4 and Tom #48 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2002, James was ranked #6 and Tom #99 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, James was ranked #14 and Tom #352 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, James was ranked #42 and Tom #976 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, James was ranked #355 and Tom #388 among boys in Norway.

James and Tom over time

James and Tom appear together in 4 published lists, across 183 years of shared records. James held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Tom in 1.

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.

James reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Tom 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.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    James and Tom changed places 5 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2025, ending at #355 and #388.

  • Longest-running competitions

    James and Tom were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #42 and #976.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — James #1 in 2015, Tom #42 in 2016.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys80 shared years, 1945–2025

    James held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Tom in 75.

    Highest recorded here: James #218 in 1978, Tom #12 in 1960.

    The order changed in 2024: James moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #312 and #295; by 2024 that had become #264 and #303.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: James #355, Tom #388.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys45 shared years, 1980–2025

    James held the stronger position in 45 of those years, Tom in 0.

    Highest recorded here: James #1 in 1994, Tom #32 in 2018.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: James #4, Tom #48.

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

    James held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Tom in 0.

    Highest recorded here: James #2 in 1997, Tom #83 in 2000.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: James #42, Tom #976.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    James held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Tom in 0.

    Highest recorded here: James #1 in 2015, Tom #42 in 2016.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: James #1, Tom #60.

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 James

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

Other comparisons involving Tom

Pairs where Tom 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 — peaked in the same years.

All peaked in the same years→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

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

Northern Ireland 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 James, Tom
FieldJamesTom
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningSupplanter, held by the heel (traditional interpretation via Jacob).Not yet recorded
OriginHebrew, via Late Latin IacomusNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈdʒeɪmz/Not yet recorded
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesJim, Jamie, IacomusNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #4 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #48 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • James has a recorded origin (Hebrew, via Late Latin Iacomus); Tom does not have one recorded yet.
  • James has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Tom.
  • A meaning is recorded for James; Tom doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives James a "high" Data Confidence level and Tom a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

James

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #344 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 recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2015 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #42 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Tom

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #50 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: #12 among boys in Norway, in 1960 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #976 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys