Sebastian vs Thomas
Sebastian 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, Sebastian was ranked #154 and Thomas #11 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Sebastian was ranked #31 and Thomas #13 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Sebastian was ranked #125 and Thomas #16 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Sebastian was ranked #52 and Thomas #18 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Sebastian was ranked #116 and Thomas #20 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Sebastian was ranked #45 and Thomas #26 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Sebastian was ranked #53 and Thomas #106 among boys in Norway.
Sebastian and Thomas over time
Sebastian and Thomas appear together in 6 published lists, across 198 years of shared records. Thomas held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Sebastian 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, Sebastian in 1. 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 2003, Sebastian moved ahead of Thomas in Norway · Boys — #13 and #11 the year before became #13 and #15.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Sebastian and Thomas averaged 59.4 places apart, ending at #45 and #26.
- Mirrored each other
Over 58 shared years in Norway · Boys, Sebastian rose about as far as Thomas fell — from #415 and #46 in 1968 to #53 and #106 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Sebastian and Thomas were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 58 years, from 1968 to 2025, ending at #53 and #106.
List by list
Norway · Boys58 shared years, 1968–2025
Sebastian held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Thomas in 35.
Highest recorded here: Sebastian #6 in 2006, Thomas #1 in 1974.
The order changed in 2003: Sebastian moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #13 and #11; by 2003 that had become #13 and #15.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Sebastian #53, Thomas #106.
Republic of Ireland · Boys40 shared years, 1970–2025
Sebastian held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 40.
Highest recorded here: Sebastian #80 in 2017, Thomas #6 in 1970.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Sebastian #125, Thomas #16.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Sebastian held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 29.
Highest recorded here: Sebastian #28 in 2018, Thomas #2 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Sebastian #45, Thomas #26.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys26 shared years, 2000–2025
Sebastian held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 26.
Highest recorded here: Sebastian #20 in 2022, Thomas #3 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Sebastian #31, Thomas #13.
Northern Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 1999–2024
Sebastian held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 24.
Highest recorded here: Sebastian #102 in 2015, Thomas #6 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Sebastian #154, Thomas #11.
New Zealand · Boys21 shared years, 2002–2023
Sebastian held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 21.
Highest recorded here: Sebastian #52 in 2018, Thomas #8 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Sebastian #52, Thomas #18.
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 | Sebastian | Thomas |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Traditionally interpreted as 'venerable' or 'revered' — from Latin Sebastianus, 'from Sebaste' (a city in Asia Minor), whose own name derives from a Greek word used to translate the Roman imperial title Augustus. | The Greek form of the Aramaic name meaning 'twin'. |
| Origin | Latin, from Greek | Aramaic, via Greek |
| Pronunciation | /səˈbæstʃən/ | /ˈtɑməs/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 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 #31 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #13 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 65/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 70/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Sebastian is recorded with a Latin, from Greek origin, while Thomas is recorded with a Aramaic, via Greek origin.
- Sebastian has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Thomas.
- Sebastian'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
Sebastian
Popularity journey
First recorded1968
First recorded at #415 among boys in Norway in 1968 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1968–2025
Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in Norway, in 2006 (recorded 1968–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #31 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