Thomas vs William
Thomas and Williamcompared 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.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Thomas was ranked #106 and William #3 among boys in Norway.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Thomas was ranked #13 and William #11 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Thomas was ranked #11 and William #64 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Thomas was ranked #18 and William #14 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Thomas was ranked #16 and William #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Thomas was ranked #20 and William #66 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Thomas was ranked #26 and William #27 among boys in England and Wales.
Thomas and William over time
Thomas and William appear together in 6 published lists, across 344 years of shared records. Thomas held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, William in 2.
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 4 of those lists, William 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 moved ahead of the other
In 2005, William moved ahead of Thomas in Norway · Boys — #18 and #24 the year before became #26 and #23.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Thomas and William changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #26 and #27.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Thomas and William averaged 5.7 places apart, ending at #26 and #27.
- Longest-running competitions
Thomas and William were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 74 years, from 1952 to 2025, ending at #13 and #11.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Thomas #5 in 1965, William #8 in 1964.
List by list
Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025
Thomas held the stronger position in 59 of those years, William in 22.
Highest recorded here: Thomas #1 in 1974, William #1 in 2012.
The order changed in 2005: William moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #18 and #24; by 2005 that had become #26 and #23.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Thomas #106, William #3.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys74 shared years, 1952–2025
Thomas held the stronger position in 24 of those years, William in 50.
Highest recorded here: Thomas #3 in 2000, William #1 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Thomas #13, William #11.
New Zealand · Boys70 shared years, 1954–2023
Thomas held the stronger position in 20 of those years, William in 50.
Highest recorded here: Thomas #4 in 2001, William #3 in 2008.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Thomas #18, William #14.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Thomas held the stronger position in 62 of those years, William in 0.
Highest recorded here: Thomas #5 in 1965, William #8 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Thomas #16, William #73.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Thomas held the stronger position in 27 of those years, William in 2.
Highest recorded here: Thomas #2 in 1998, William #7 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Thomas #26, William #27.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Thomas held the stronger position in 28 of those years, William in 0.
Highest recorded here: Thomas #6 in 2020, William #26 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Thomas #11, William #64.
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 | William |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | The Greek form of the Aramaic name meaning 'twin'. | Commonly interpreted as 'resolute protector' or 'will helmet', combining the ideas of desire/will and protection. |
| Origin | Aramaic, via Greek | Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈtɑməs/ | /ˈwɪljəm/ |
| 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 | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #13 (2025) | Norway · Boys #3 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 82/100 |
| 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 William is recorded with a Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) origin.
- Thomas and William both have 2 syllables.
- Thomas's recorded meaning differs from William'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
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
William
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #277 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2009 (recorded 1952–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #11 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys