Thompson
Boy name · #2335 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Thompson? In official American birth records, Thompson has been tracked continuously since 1882, giving it 143 years of documented American history.
Thompson ranks #2335 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 59 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2328, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 30,508 boys born in 2025 was named Thompson.
Babies named Thompson per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 143-year story
Thompson first appears in the Social Security records in 1882, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2018, when 76 boys were named Thompson — good for #1937 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Thompson against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Thompson in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Thompson is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Thompson will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Thompson is most common
State-level data for Thompson is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Thompson
Statistically, parents drawn to Thompson tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Morrison, Hanson, Ellison, Sampson, and Pearson.
MorrisonHansonEllisonSampsonPearsonTreysonLarsonTayson
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Thompson | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 59 | #2332 |
| 2024 | 43 | #2915 |
| 2023 | 34 | #3416 |
| 2022 | 51 | #2616 |
| 2021 | 61 | #2277 |
| 2020 | 51 | #2505 |
| 2019 | 61 | #2265 |
| 2018 | 76 | #1937 |
| 2017 | 55 | #2345 |
| 2016 | 51 | #2477 |
| 2015 | 56 | #2328 |
| 2014 | 37 | #3038 |
| 2013 | 33 | #3265 |
| 2012 | 36 | #3115 |
| 2011 | 26 | #3885 |
| 2010 | 38 | #3014 |
| 2009 | 32 | #3399 |
| 2008 | 31 | #3486 |
| 2007 | 37 | #3090 |
| 2006 | 27 | #3686 |
| 2005 | 29 | #3389 |
| 2004 | 38 | #2741 |
| 2003 | 31 | #3044 |
| 2002 | 13 | #5395 |
| 2001 | 23 | #3617 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Thompson?
In official American birth records, the name Thompson first appeared in 1882 (over 143 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Thompson a popular boy name?
Thompson ranked #2335 among boys in 2025 with 59 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2328.
When was the name Thompson most popular?
Thompson peaked in 2018, when 76 American boys received the name (ranked #1937 that year). Since 2018 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Thompson?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 30,508 newborn American boys was named Thompson. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.