Michael vs Thomas
Michael 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, Michael was ranked #66 and Thomas #11 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Michael was ranked #62 and Thomas #13 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2022, Michael was ranked #95 and Thomas #15 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Michael was ranked #22 and Thomas #16 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Michael was ranked #66 and Thomas #20 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Michael was ranked #85 and Thomas #26 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Michael was ranked #195 and Thomas #106 among boys in Norway.
Michael and Thomas over time
Michael and Thomas appear together in 6 published lists, across 344 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Michael reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Thomas 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 1995, Thomas moved ahead of Michael in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #8 and #10 the year before became #13 and #5.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Michael and Thomas changed places 4 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2025, ending at #195 and #106.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Michael and Thomas averaged 44.2 places apart, ending at #85 and #26.
- Longest-running competitions
Michael and Thomas were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 74 years, from 1952 to 2025, ending at #62 and #13.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Michael #22 in 1996, Thomas #2 in 1998.
List by list
Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025
Michael held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Thomas in 77.
Highest recorded here: Michael #48 in 1990, Thomas #1 in 1974.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Michael #195, Thomas #106.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys74 shared years, 1952–2025
Michael held the stronger position in 43 of those years, Thomas in 31.
Highest recorded here: Michael #1 in 1974, Thomas #3 in 2000.
The order changed in 1995: Thomas moved ahead. In 1994 they stood at #8 and #10; by 1995 that had become #13 and #5.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Michael #62, Thomas #13.
New Zealand · Boys70 shared years, 1954–2022
Michael held the stronger position in 42 of those years, Thomas in 28.
Highest recorded here: Michael #1 in 1968, Thomas #4 in 2001.
The order changed in 1996: Thomas moved ahead. In 1995 they stood at #7 and #9; by 1996 that had become #10 and #9.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Michael #95, Thomas #15.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Michael held the stronger position in 60 of those years, Thomas in 2.
Highest recorded here: Michael #2 in 1966, Thomas #5 in 1965.
The order changed in 2024: Thomas moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #15 and #18; by 2024 that had become #17 and #14.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Michael #22, Thomas #16.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Michael held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 29.
Highest recorded here: Michael #22 in 1996, Thomas #2 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Michael #85, Thomas #26.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Michael held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Thomas in 23.
Highest recorded here: Michael #7 in 1997, Thomas #6 in 2020.
The order changed in 2004: Thomas moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #11 and #14; by 2004 that had become #16 and #12.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Michael #66, 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 | Michael | Thomas |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as a rhetorical question, 'Who is like God?', implying no one compares to God. | The Greek form of the Aramaic name meaning 'twin'. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Aramaic, via Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈmaɪkəl/ | /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 | Republic of Ireland · Boys #22 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #13 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Michael is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Thomas is recorded with a Aramaic, via Greek origin.
- Michael and Thomas both have 2 syllables.
- Michael'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
Michael
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #259 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1974 (recorded 1952–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #62 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