Tom
Boy name · #2183 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Tom? In official American birth records, Tom has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Tom ranks #2183 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 65 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2036, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 27,692 boys born in 2025 was named Tom.
Babies named Tom per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Tom first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 399 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1959, when 5,068 boys were named Tom — good for #82 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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 Tom against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Tom in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Tom is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Tom will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Tom is most common
State-level data for Tom 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).
Nicknames & related forms of Tom
Tom belongs to the Thomas family — closely related nicknames and spellings of the same name.
Counted as one name, the Thomas family went to about 7,402 boys in 2025 — together they'd rank around #29, versus #2183 for Tom alone.
Names like Tom
Statistically, parents drawn to Tom tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Tim, Jim, Ted, Dan, and Dave.
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Tom | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 65 | #2183 |
| 2024 | 48 | #2715 |
| 2023 | 50 | #2614 |
| 2022 | 60 | #2355 |
| 2021 | 64 | #2193 |
| 2020 | 58 | #2323 |
| 2019 | 87 | #1777 |
| 2018 | 66 | #2122 |
| 2017 | 88 | #1746 |
| 2016 | 70 | #2028 |
| 2015 | 70 | #2036 |
| 2014 | 77 | #1884 |
| 2013 | 82 | #1763 |
| 2012 | 83 | #1787 |
| 2011 | 83 | #1755 |
| 2010 | 80 | #1816 |
| 2009 | 99 | #1604 |
| 2008 | 96 | #1620 |
| 2007 | 94 | #1638 |
| 2006 | 109 | #1427 |
| 2005 | 125 | #1257 |
| 2004 | 107 | #1359 |
| 2003 | 132 | #1141 |
| 2002 | 140 | #1076 |
| 2001 | 96 | #1345 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Tom?
In official American birth records, the name Tom first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 399 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Tom a popular boy name?
Tom ranked #2183 among boys in 2025 with 65 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2036.
When was the name Tom most popular?
Tom peaked in 1959, when 5,068 American boys received the name (ranked #82 that year). Since 1959 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Tom?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 27,692 newborn American boys was named Tom. 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.