Philip vs Thomas
Philip 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.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1992, Philip was ranked #95 and Thomas #9 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Philip was ranked #311 and Thomas #10 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1988, Philip was ranked #98 and Thomas #11 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Philip was ranked #309 and Thomas #16 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Philip was ranked #619 and Thomas #20 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Philip was ranked #461 and Thomas #26 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Philip was ranked #91 and Thomas #106 among boys in Norway.
Philip and Thomas over time
Philip and Thomas appear together in 6 published lists, across 261 years of shared records. Thomas held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Philip in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Philip 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 took the other's place near the top
In New Zealand · Boys, Thomas moved into the top 50 at #36 in 1979 as Philip fell out of it to #56, having been #42 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1979, Thomas moved ahead of Philip in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #69 and #70 the year before became #76 and #53.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Philip and Thomas changed places 7 times in Norway · Boys between 1948 and 2025, ending at #91 and #106.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 36 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Philip and Thomas averaged 23.2 places apart, ending at #98 and #11.
- Longest-running competitions
Philip and Thomas were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 36 years, from 1952 to 1988, ending at #98 and #11.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Philip #103 in 1996, Thomas #2 in 1998.
List by list
Norway · Boys70 shared years, 1948–2025
Philip held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Thomas in 61.
Highest recorded here: Philip #68 in 2013, Thomas #1 in 1974.
The order changed in 2025: Philip moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #103 and #96; by 2025 that had become #91 and #106.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Philip #91, Thomas #106.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Philip held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 62.
Highest recorded here: Philip #30 in 1978, Thomas #5 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Philip #309, Thomas #16.
New Zealand · Boys38 shared years, 1954–1992
Philip held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Thomas in 16.
Highest recorded here: Philip #20 in 1963, Thomas #9 in 1990.
The order changed in 1979: Thomas moved ahead. In 1978 they stood at #42 and #49; by 1979 that had become #56 and #36.
Most recent shared year, 1992: Philip #95, Thomas #9.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys36 shared years, 1952–1988
Philip held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Thomas in 11.
Highest recorded here: Philip #29 in 1958, Thomas #11 in 1988.
The order changed in 1979: Thomas moved ahead. In 1978 they stood at #69 and #70; by 1979 that had become #76 and #53.
Most recent shared year, 1988: Philip #98, Thomas #11.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Philip held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 29.
Highest recorded here: Philip #103 in 1996, Thomas #2 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Philip #461, Thomas #26.
Northern Ireland · Boys26 shared years, 1997–2022
Philip held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 26.
Highest recorded here: Philip #51 in 1997, Thomas #6 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Philip #311, Thomas #10.
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 | Philip | 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 | 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 | Norway · Boys #91 (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); Philip does not have one recorded yet.
- Philip and Thomas both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Thomas; Philip 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
Philip
Popularity journey
First recorded1948
First recorded at #341 among boys in Norway in 1948 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1992
Highest recorded position: #20 among boys in New Zealand, in 1963 (recorded 1954–1992).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #91 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · 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