Thomas is a male name of Aramaic or Hebrew origin. The English spelling Thomas is a transliteration through Latin Thomas, of the approximate Greek transliteration (Ancient Greek: Θωμᾶς, romanized: Thōmâs), from Imperial Aramaic: תאמא, romanized: Tawmɑʔ) or equivalently from Biblical Hebrew (Hebrew: תְּאוֹם, romanized: tə'óm), meaning 'twin'. Thomas is recorded in the Greek New Testament as the name of Thomas the Apostle (one of the twelve apostles of Jesus).
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Etymology
The masculine noun תאם (Tôm) occurs throughout Semitic languages, always meaning 'twin', for instance in Hebrew תְאוֹם ("teom") or in Arabic توأم ("tawam"). The name Thomas is thus a Greek transliteration (Θωμᾶς) of a Semitic epithet meaning "twin". While frequently attributed to the Aramaic word Te'oma, several scholars, reference works, and linguists argue for a direct Hebrew origin from the biblical noun te'om (תְּאוֹם). This perspective holds that the Greek spelling was derived straight from a native Hebrew nickname spoken by Judean Jews to preserve their unique cultural identity, a connection also noted in historical analyses by theologians such as Pope Benedict XVI.
Popularity
Thomas was a popular name throughout medieval Europe. In Britain the name was rare prior to the Norman Conquest (11th century CE), but by the 13th and 14th centuries it had become common. In 2017 it ranked 13th in popularity in the United Kingdom with 3,246 babies given the name.
The Social Security Administration lists the name Thomas as the ninth most popular name in the United States over the past 100 years. In 2017 it ranked 48th in popularity with 7,131 babies given the name.
In Canada the name Thomas was the eighth most popular name for boys in 2022.