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Thomas

Thomas is an Aramaic name meaning twin.

Ranked #34 in US baby names in 2025, peaked at #8 in 1880, stable over the past 5 years.

Thomas is one of Jesus' apostles, often remembered for doubt but also for one of the clearest confessions of faith in the Gospels.

Browse names
OriginAramaic
GenderBoy
FeelApostolic
PronunciationTAH-mus

Is Thomas biblical?

Yes

Biblical status Direct biblical person

Thomas is a named person in the Gospels, one of the twelve apostles, also called Didymus (twin), whose confession comes in John 20.

Is Thomas a Christian name?

Yes

Christian tradition Foundational, across traditions

Thomas is one of the most durable Christian names, an apostle venerated across Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican tradition and carried by saints and theologians for centuries.

Plain answer

Thomas is a biblical name borne by the apostle, and it is a foundational Christian name across traditions.

Confidence High Last reviewed July 19, 2026 How this works

Meaning

The meaning of Thomas

Thomas means twin. In John's Gospel he is also called Didymus, which carries the same meaning in Greek.

Apostle

More than doubting Thomas

Thomas is often reduced to the phrase doubting Thomas, but the Gospel story is richer. He is honest about what he has not seen, and Jesus meets him in that place.

His response, My Lord and my God, is one of the strongest confessions in the New Testament. The name can therefore suggest honest faith rather than mere skepticism.

Naming use

A classic Christian name

Thomas has been used across Christian cultures for centuries and has been carried by apostles, saints, theologians, writers, and ordinary families.

Tom and Tommy make it friendly, while Thomas in full feels steady, traditional, and mature.

Sound

How to pronounce Thomas

Phonetic
TAH-mus
IPA
/ˈtɒməs/

2 syllables · stress: TAH-mus · ends in a consonant

Forms

Variants and nicknames

Alternate spellings

  • Tomas
  • Tomás
  • Tomasz
  • Tommaso
  • Tamás
  • Thoma

Short forms and nicknames

  • Tom
  • Tommy
  • Thom

Languages

Thomas in other languages

Aramaic
תּוֹמָאTomaAramaic Toma means "twin"; the Greek Didymos (Διδυμος) in John 11:16 is the translation.
Greek
ΘωμᾶςThōmas
Latin
Thomas
Spanish
Tomás
French
Thomas
German
Thomas
Italian
Tommaso
Polish
Tomasz
Russian
ФомаFoma
Arabic
تُومَاTuma

Christian background

Christian and biblical background

Thomas matters in Christian tradition as an apostle and as a figure whose encounter with the risen Christ speaks to doubt, evidence, worship, and confession.

Scripture

The biblical figure

Thomas is one of the twelve apostles. In John 20 he encounters the risen Jesus and confesses him as Lord and God.

Bearers

Notable people named Thomas

  • biblical

    Thomas the ApostleOne of the Twelve, called Didymus (twin), whose confession My Lord and my God comes in John 20

  • historical

    Thomas AquinasItalian Dominican friar, philosopher, and theologian, author of the Summa Theologiae, 1225 to 1274

  • historical

    Thomas MoreEnglish Lord Chancellor, humanist, and Catholic martyr executed under Henry VIII, 1478 to 1535

  • historical

    Thomas JeffersonThird president of the United States and principal author of the Declaration of Independence, 1743 to 1826

  • historical

    Thomas EdisonAmerican inventor associated with the phonograph and incandescent lighting, 1847 to 1931

  • historical

    Thomas HardyEnglish novelist and poet, author of Tess of the d'Urbervilles, 1840 to 1928

  • historical

    Thomas MannGerman novelist and Nobel laureate, author of The Magic Mountain, 1875 to 1955

  • modern

    Thomas PynchonAmerican novelist, author of Gravity's Rainbow, born 1937

Saint

Saint Thomas the Apostle

Traditions
Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican
Patron of
India, architects, builders, the blind, geometers

Tradition holds that Thomas brought the gospel to India, where the Saint Thomas Christians of Kerala trace their founding to him. The Catholic feast marks the traditional date his relics were translated to Edessa, and he is commemorated in the Orthodox tradition as well.

Naming history

Naming tradition and history

Thomas is one of the most durable Christian names in English. It has remained familiar without losing its biblical identity.

Recent US use

Thomas in recent US use

Rank in 2025
#34
Peak rank
#8 in 1880
Recent trend
stable over the last 5 years
Years in the SSA records
146 (since 1880)

Source: US Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880-2025.

Sibling fit

Sibling name suggestions

For families

For families looking at Thomas

For a Christian family, Thomas offers a classic apostolic name with unusual emotional honesty. It feels grounded, human, and deeply Christian.

Common questions

What does Thomas mean?

Thomas means twin.

Is Thomas a biblical name?

Yes. Thomas is one of Jesus' twelve apostles.

Why is Thomas called doubting Thomas?

Thomas wanted to see the risen Jesus for himself, but his story ends with a strong confession of faith.

Sources

Sources for Thomas

  • The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, Koehler and BaumgartnerSupports: Aramaic etymology (Toma); meaning 'twin'.
  • The Gospel of John, King James Version (KJV 1769)Supports: biblical figure, apostle whose confession comes in John 20:28.
  • The Oxford Dictionary of Saints, David Hugh Farmer (5th edition)Supports: Saint Thomas the Apostle; feast day (July 3).

Last reviewed July 19, 2026. See our methodology, or report an error on the corrections page.

Read next

Related names

PeterBoth are apostles whose stories include doubt and restoration; Peter's denial and reinstatement (John 21), Thomas' refusal to believe and confession of Jesus as Lord and God (John 20).AndrewBoth are apostles named in every NT list of the Twelve; both come from the early Galilean circle around Jesus' Capernaum ministry.JohnJohn's Gospel records Thomas' most important moments: his readiness to die with Jesus (John 11:16) and his Resurrection confession (John 20:28).