Kai vs Thomas
Kai 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, Kai was ranked #69 and Thomas #11 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Kai was ranked #23 and Thomas #13 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Kai was ranked #34 and Thomas #16 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Kai was ranked #56 and Thomas #20 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Kai was ranked #72 and Thomas #26 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Kai was ranked #282 and Thomas #106 among boys in Norway.
Kai and Thomas over time
Kai and Thomas appear together in 5 published lists, across 188 years of shared records. Thomas held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Kai 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 5 of those lists, and Kai 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1967, Thomas moved ahead of Kai in Norway · Boys — #65 and #76 the year before became #66 and #52.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 23 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Kai and Thomas averaged 48.7 places apart, ending at #23 and #13.
- Longest-running competitions
Kai and Thomas were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #282 and #106.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Kai #52 in 2021, Thomas #6 in 2020.
List by list
Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025
Kai held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Thomas in 59.
Highest recorded here: Kai #57 in 1976, Thomas #1 in 1974.
The order changed in 1967: Thomas moved ahead. In 1966 they stood at #65 and #76; by 1967 that had become #66 and #52.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Kai #282, Thomas #106.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Kai held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 29.
Highest recorded here: Kai #56 in 2003, Thomas #2 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kai #72, Thomas #26.
Republic of Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2025
Kai held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 28.
Highest recorded here: Kai #30 in 2024, Thomas #11 in 2013.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Kai #34, Thomas #16.
Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1998–2024
Kai held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 27.
Highest recorded here: Kai #52 in 2021, Thomas #6 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kai #69, Thomas #11.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys23 shared years, 2002–2025
Kai held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 23.
Highest recorded here: Kai #20 in 2023, Thomas #4 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Kai #23, Thomas #13.
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 | Kai | 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 | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #23 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #13 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 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); Kai does not have one recorded yet.
- Kai has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Thomas.
- A meaning is recorded for Thomas; Kai doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
How each name got here
Kai
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #76 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded2002–2025
Highest recorded position: #20 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2023 (recorded 2002–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #23 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