Thom
A surname transferred from the given name.
Every Thom since 1917 — 844 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Thom
Thom is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1917, 844 American babies have been named Thom. Its peak came in 1961, when 32 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Thom stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Thom year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | 5 | #13,881 |
| 2020 | — | — |
| 2019 | 5 | #13,933 |
| 2018 | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — |
| 2016 | 5 | #13,993 |
| 2015 | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — |
| 2013 | 5 | #13,860 |
| 2012 | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — |
| 2009 | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — |
| 2007 | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — |
| 2005 | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — |
| 1990 | 7 | #7,108 |
| 1985 | 9 | #4,660 |
| 1980 | 13 | #3,417 |
| 1975 | 6 | #5,403 |
| 1970 | 13 | #2,724 |
| 1965 | 14 | #2,260 |
| 1960 | 18 | #1,969 |
| 1955 | 20 | #1,788 |
| 1950 | 18 | #1,808 |
| 1945 | 16 | #1,766 |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | 9 | #2,697 |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | 6 | #4,151 |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Thom
- Thom Barry Actor · b. 1950
- Thom Mayne Architect · b. 1944
- Thom Tillis Politician · b. 1960
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Thom mean?
A surname transferred from the given name.
How popular is the name Thom in 2025?
Thom did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Thom?
844 babies have been named Thom in the United States since 1917, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Thom most popular?
Thom peaked in 1961, when 32 newborns received the name.
Is Thom a boy or girl name?
Thom is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Thom rising or falling?
Thom is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Thom?
Well-known people named Thom include Thom Barry (actor), Thom Mayne (architect), Thom Tillis (politician).