Thomas vs Tobias
Thomas and Tobiascompared 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, Thomas was ranked #11 and Tobias #177 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2022, Thomas was ranked #15 and Tobias #87 among boys in New Zealand.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Thomas was ranked #106 and Tobias #15 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Thomas was ranked #16 and Tobias #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Thomas was ranked #20 and Tobias #352 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Thomas was ranked #26 and Tobias #108 among boys in England and Wales.
Thomas and Tobias over time
Thomas and Tobias appear together in 4 published lists, across 138 years of shared records. Thomas held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Tobias 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 3 of those lists, and Tobias in none. 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 2002, Tobias moved ahead of Thomas in Norway · Boys — #10 and #11 the year before became #11 and #9.
- Mirrored each other
Over 56 shared years in Norway · Boys, Tobias rose about as far as Thomas fell — from #52 and #513 in 1967 to #106 and #15 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Thomas and Tobias were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 56 years, from 1967 to 2025, ending at #106 and #15.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Thomas #5 in 1965, Tobias #222 in 1965.
List by list
Norway · Boys56 shared years, 1967–2025
Thomas held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Tobias in 25.
Highest recorded here: Thomas #1 in 1974, Tobias #1 in 2005.
The order changed in 2002: Tobias moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #10 and #11; by 2002 that had become #11 and #9.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Thomas #106, Tobias #15.
Republic of Ireland · Boys32 shared years, 1965–2025
Thomas held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Tobias in 0.
Highest recorded here: Thomas #5 in 1965, Tobias #222 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Thomas #16, Tobias #676.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Thomas held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Tobias in 0.
Highest recorded here: Thomas #2 in 1998, Tobias #98 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Thomas #26, Tobias #108.
Northern Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 1997–2024
Thomas held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Tobias in 0.
Highest recorded here: Thomas #6 in 2020, Tobias #177 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Thomas #11, Tobias #177.
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 | Thomas | Tobias |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | The Greek form of the Aramaic name meaning 'twin'. | Traditionally understood to mean 'God is good' or 'the Lord is good', from a Hebrew phrase. |
| Origin | Aramaic, via Greek | Hebrew, via Greek; used in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and German tradition |
| Pronunciation | /ˈtɑməs/ | /tʊ.ˈbiː.as/ |
| 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 | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #13 (2025) | Norway · Boys #15 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 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 is recorded with a Aramaic, via Greek origin, while Tobias is recorded with a Hebrew, via Greek; used in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and German tradition origin.
- Thomas and Tobias both have 2 syllables.
- Thomas's recorded meaning differs from Tobias's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
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
Tobias
Popularity journey
First recorded1965
First recorded at #222 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1967–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Norway, in 2005 (recorded 1967–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #15 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys