Joseph vs Thomas
Joseph 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, Joseph was ranked #34 and Thomas #11 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Joseph was ranked #33 and Thomas #13 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Joseph was ranked #64 and Thomas #16 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Joseph was ranked #69 and Thomas #18 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Joseph was ranked #82 and Thomas #20 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Joseph was ranked #56 and Thomas #26 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Joseph was ranked #465 and Thomas #106 among boys in Norway.
Joseph and Thomas over time
Joseph and Thomas appear together in 6 published lists, across 332 years of shared records. Thomas held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Joseph in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Joseph and Thomas changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1952 and 2025, ending at #33 and #13.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Joseph and Thomas averaged 13.2 places apart, ending at #56 and #26.
- Longest-running competitions
Joseph and Thomas were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 74 years, from 1952 to 2025, ending at #33 and #13.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Joseph #7 in 2000, Thomas #2 in 1998.
List by list
New South Wales, Australia · Boys74 shared years, 1952–2025
Joseph held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Thomas in 55.
Highest recorded here: Joseph #32 in 2005, Thomas #3 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Joseph #33, Thomas #13.
New Zealand · Boys70 shared years, 1954–2023
Joseph held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Thomas in 62.
Highest recorded here: Joseph #18 in 1988, Thomas #4 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Joseph #69, Thomas #18.
Norway · Boys69 shared years, 1949–2025
Joseph held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 69.
Highest recorded here: Joseph #272 in 1985, Thomas #1 in 1974.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Joseph #465, Thomas #106.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Joseph held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 62.
Highest recorded here: Joseph #11 in 1964, Thomas #5 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Joseph #64, Thomas #16.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Joseph held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 29.
Highest recorded here: Joseph #7 in 2000, Thomas #2 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Joseph #56, Thomas #26.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Joseph held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 28.
Highest recorded here: Joseph #22 in 2013, Thomas #6 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Joseph #34, 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 | Joseph | 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 #33 (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); Joseph does not have one recorded yet.
- Joseph and Thomas both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Thomas; Joseph 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
Joseph
Popularity journey
First recorded1949
First recorded at #326 among boys in Norway in 1949 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in England and Wales, in 2000 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #33 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