Thomas

Thomas meaning

Thomas is a Christian and international boy's name of Aramaic origin.

The twin

Thomas comes from the Greek Thōmas, which Strong's describes as of Aramaic origin, comparing the Hebrew ta'owm, "twin". John's Gospel makes the meaning plain by adding the Greek equivalent, calling the apostle "Thomas, called Didymus", that is, the twin (John 11:16). Thomas was one of the twelve apostles, remembered for refusing to believe in the resurrection until he had seen Jesus for himself (John 20). In India the name carries special weight. The Saint Thomas Christians of Kerala hold that he landed on the Malabar coast in AD 52, founded seven churches and was martyred near Mylapore in Chennai. Historians treat this as tradition rather than proven history, but it is central to Kerala's Christian heritage.

Source: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890), Greek Dictionary of the New Testament, G2381 · entry Thomas · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026

References: Strong's Greek G2381, Thomas · John 11:16 (Bible Hub) · New World Encyclopedia, Saint Thomas (the Apostle)

Famous namesakes

• Saint Thomas the Apostle, honoured by Kerala's Saint Thomas Christians

Popularity abroad

• #34 United States, boys 2025 (up 5 from 39 in 2024)
  US Social Security Administration
• #35 England and Wales, boys 2025
  Office for National Statistics

Official birth registrations. India publishes no national name statistics.

Spellings

Thomas · Tomas

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