Stephen vs Thomas
Stephen 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 South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1997, Stephen was ranked #100 and Thomas #6 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1997, Stephen was ranked #95 and Thomas #8 among boys in New Zealand.
Norway · Boys
In 2001, Stephen was ranked #522 and Thomas #10 among boys in Norway.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Stephen was ranked #305 and Thomas #11 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Stephen was ranked #232 and Thomas #16 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Stephen was ranked #535 and Thomas #20 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Stephen was ranked #651 and Thomas #26 among boys in England and Wales.
Stephen and Thomas over time
Stephen and Thomas appear together in 6 published lists, across 259 years of shared records. Thomas held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Stephen in 2.
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.
Stephen reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, Thomas 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 1985, Thomas moved ahead of Stephen in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #28 and #29 the year before became #32 and #26.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 46 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Stephen and Thomas averaged 43.6 places apart, ending at #100 and #6.
- Longest-running competitions
Stephen and Thomas were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 46 years, from 1952 to 1997, ending at #100 and #6.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Stephen #60 in 1996, Thomas #2 in 1998.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1997 they stood at #23 and #15 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 8 places apart; by 2024 they were #305 and #11.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Stephen held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Thomas in 44.
Highest recorded here: Stephen #4 in 1983, Thomas #5 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Stephen #232, Thomas #16.
Norway · Boys50 shared years, 1946–2001
Stephen held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 50.
Highest recorded here: Stephen #210 in 1956, Thomas #1 in 1974.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2001: Stephen #522, Thomas #10.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys46 shared years, 1952–1997
Stephen held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Thomas in 13.
Highest recorded here: Stephen #3 in 1955, Thomas #5 in 1995.
The order changed in 1985: Thomas moved ahead. In 1984 they stood at #28 and #29; by 1985 that had become #32 and #26.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Stephen #100, Thomas #6.
New Zealand · Boys44 shared years, 1954–1997
Stephen held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Thomas in 15.
Highest recorded here: Stephen #5 in 1958, Thomas #8 in 1991.
The order changed in 1983: Thomas moved ahead. In 1982 they stood at #29 and #34; by 1983 that had become #30 and #26.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Stephen #95, Thomas #8.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Stephen held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 29.
Highest recorded here: Stephen #60 in 1996, Thomas #2 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Stephen #651, Thomas #26.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Stephen held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 28.
Highest recorded here: Stephen #21 in 1998, Thomas #6 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Stephen #305, 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 | Stephen | Thomas |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From Greek Stephanos, meaning 'crown, wreath' — literally 'that which surrounds'. Saint Stephen, a deacon stoned to death in the New Testament, is regarded as the first Christian martyr. | The Greek form of the Aramaic name meaning 'twin'. |
| Origin | Greek | Aramaic, via Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈstiː.vən/ | /ˈtɑməs/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Steven, Stefan, Stephan | 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 #232 (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 | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Stephen is recorded with a Greek origin, while Thomas is recorded with a Aramaic, via Greek origin.
- Stephen and Thomas both have 2 syllables.
- Stephen'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.
- The available evidence gives Stephen a "high" Data Confidence level and Thomas a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Stephen
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #352 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1997
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1955 (recorded 1952–1997).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · 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