Laurence vs Tom
Laurence 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.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Laurence was ranked #582 and Tom #55 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2014, Laurence was ranked #346 and Tom #80 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Laurence was ranked #389 and Tom #757 among boys in England and Wales.
Laurence and Tom over time
Laurence and Tom appear together in 2 published lists, across 73 years of shared records. Tom held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Laurence in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Laurence reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Tom 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 1997, Tom moved ahead of Laurence in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #135 and #149 the year before became #149 and #139.
- Longest-running competitions
Laurence and Tom were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 44 years, from 1980 to 2024, ending at #582 and #55.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys44 shared years, 1980–2024
Laurence held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Tom in 29.
Highest recorded here: Laurence #84 in 1980, Tom #32 in 2018.
The order changed in 1997: Tom moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #135 and #149; by 1997 that had become #149 and #139.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Laurence #582, Tom #55.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Laurence held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Tom in 24.
Highest recorded here: Laurence #161 in 1997, Tom #83 in 2000.
The order changed in 2020: Laurence moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #449 and #445; by 2020 that had become #410 and #535.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Laurence #389, Tom #757.
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 | Laurence | Tom |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 3 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Boys #389 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #48 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Laurence has 3 syllables, compared with 1 for Tom.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Laurence
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #86 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2024
Highest recorded position: #47 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1968 (recorded 1964–2024).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #389 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys
Tom
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #12 among boys in Norway, in 1960 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #388 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys