The Top 10 Fun Facts About the Name Thomas

Alongside our Games with Names range, today we're taking a quick look at the name Thomas.

Did you know that the name Thomas is one of the most popular names in the world? It's true! It's popular across the English speaking world and according to data from the U.S. Social Security Administration, Thomas was the 17th most popular name for baby boys born in the USA in 2018.

If you're named Thomas, or if you know someone called Thomas, you might be curious to know a bit more about the name. Here are 10 fun facts about the name Thomas to get you started:

1. The name Thomas is derived from the Aramaic T'oma, which means "twin."
2. Saint Thomas is one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ.
3. "Doubting Thomas" is a nickname given to Saint Thomas because he doubted Jesus Christ's resurrection when he was told about it by the other apostles.
4. There are two patron saints named Thomas: Saint Thomas Aquinas and Saint Thomas Becket.
5. "Tom" is a common diminutive (shortened form) of "Thomas."
6. Other diminutives of "Thomas" include "Tommy," "Tommy," and "Tommo."
7.  International versions of the name include Tomik (Czech), Tommaso (Italian), Tomos (Welsh) and Tomislaw (Polish).
8. Prominent people with the name Thomas include President Thomas Jefferson, writer Thomas Paine, philosopher Thomas Hobbes, actors Tom Hanks and Tommy Lee Jones, and musician Tom Petty.
9. According to an old wives' tale, if your thumbs are webbed (that is, if there skin connecting your thumb to your hand), then you're likely to be named Thomas!
10. In medieval times, people believed that twins were a sign of the devil. As a result, many parents who had twins would give one of them the name "Thomas" as a way to ward off evil spirits!

So there you have it: The name Thomas is a strong and classic name with a long history dating back to medieval times. 

And for every other imaginable Thomas fact, please go on to our unique Thomas Game here.