Terence vs Thomas
Terence 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 2020, Terence was ranked #392 and Thomas #6 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Terence was ranked #577 and Thomas #16 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Terence was ranked #1951 and Thomas #26 among boys in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1964, Terence was ranked #75 and Thomas #53 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1964, Terence was ranked #98 and Thomas #64 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Terence and Thomas over time
Terence and Thomas appear together in 5 published lists, across 129 years of shared records. Thomas held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Terence in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Terence reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 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.
- Longest-running competitions
Terence and Thomas were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 61 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #577 and #16.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Terence #376 in 1996, Thomas #2 in 1998.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1964–2025
Terence held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 61.
Highest recorded here: Terence #54 in 1967, Thomas #5 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Terence #577, Thomas #16.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Terence held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 29.
Highest recorded here: Terence #376 in 1996, Thomas #2 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Terence #1951, Thomas #26.
Northern Ireland · Boys15 shared years, 1997–2020
Terence held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 15.
Highest recorded here: Terence #179 in 1997, Thomas #6 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2020: Terence #392, Thomas #6.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys13 shared years, 1952–1964
Terence held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 13.
Highest recorded here: Terence #48 in 1953, Thomas #44 in 1952.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1964: Terence #98, Thomas #64.
New Zealand · Boys11 shared years, 1954–1964
Terence held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 11.
Highest recorded here: Terence #57 in 1954, Thomas #41 in 1957.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1964: Terence #75, Thomas #53.
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 | Terence | 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 | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #577 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #13 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 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
- Thomas has a recorded origin (Aramaic, via Greek); Terence does not have one recorded yet.
- Terence has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Thomas.
- A meaning is recorded for Thomas; Terence doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Terence
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #53 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 recorded1952–1964
Highest recorded position: #48 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1953 (recorded 1952–1964).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #577 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