Tom
A diminutive of the male given name Thomas, also used as a formal male given name.
Every Tom since 1880 — 140,370 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Tom
Tom is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,206 in 2025 with 65 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 140,370 American babies have been named Tom. Its peak came in 1959, when 5,080 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
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 Tom stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Tom year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 65 | #2,206 |
| 2024 | — | — | 48 | #2,743 |
| 2023 | — | — | 50 | #2,653 |
| 2022 | — | — | 60 | #2,375 |
| 2021 | — | — | 64 | #2,220 |
| 2020 | — | — | 58 | #2,346 |
| 2019 | — | — | 87 | #1,787 |
| 2018 | — | — | 66 | #2,142 |
| 2017 | — | — | 88 | #1,765 |
| 2016 | — | — | 70 | #2,044 |
| 2015 | — | — | 70 | #2,051 |
| 2014 | — | — | 77 | #1,903 |
| 2013 | — | — | 82 | #1,779 |
| 2012 | — | — | 83 | #1,798 |
| 2011 | — | — | 83 | #1,768 |
| 2010 | — | — | 80 | #1,828 |
| 2009 | — | — | 99 | #1,616 |
| 2008 | — | — | 96 | #1,632 |
| 2007 | — | — | 94 | #1,648 |
| 2006 | — | — | 109 | #1,436 |
| 2005 | — | — | 125 | #1,260 |
| 2004 | — | — | 107 | #1,365 |
| 2003 | — | — | 132 | #1,148 |
| 2002 | — | — | 140 | #1,077 |
| 2001 | — | — | 96 | #1,349 |
| 2000 | — | — | 99 | #1,311 |
| 1995 | — | — | 134 | #964 |
| 1990 | — | — | 214 | #696 |
| 1985 | — | — | 180 | #654 |
| 1980 | — | — | 235 | #564 |
| 1975 | — | — | 303 | #463 |
| 1970 | — | — | 1,130 | #219 |
| 1965 | 6 | #6,479 | 2,497 | #127 |
| 1960 | 11 | #4,157 | 4,894 | #86 |
| 1955 | 6 | #5,777 | 1,513 | #180 |
| 1950 | 9 | #3,940 | 1,823 | #145 |
| 1945 | 10 | #3,113 | 2,893 | #89 |
| 1940 | 8 | #3,483 | 2,287 | #92 |
| 1935 | 13 | #2,425 | 1,725 | #110 |
| 1930 | 13 | #2,542 | 1,336 | #132 |
| 1925 | 20 | #2,006 | 1,216 | #138 |
| 1920 | 15 | #2,451 | 1,207 | #131 |
| 1915 | 14 | #2,246 | 869 | #142 |
| 1910 | — | — | 428 | #82 |
| 1905 | — | — | 317 | #77 |
| 1900 | — | — | 469 | #53 |
| 1895 | 6 | #1,578 | 335 | #62 |
| 1890 | — | — | 347 | #59 |
| 1885 | — | — | 361 | #48 |
| 1880 | — | — | 399 | #40 |
Famous people named Tom
- Tom Hanks Actor · b. 1956
- Tom Selleck Actor · b. 1945
- Tom Cruise Actor · b. 1962
- Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk Politician · 1850–1937
- Tom Clancy Writer · 1947–2013
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Tom mean?
A diminutive of the male given name Thomas, also used as a formal male given name.
How popular is the name Tom in 2025?
Tom ranked #2,206 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 65 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Tom?
140,370 babies have been named Tom in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Tom most popular?
Tom peaked in 1959, when 5,080 newborns received the name.
Is Tom a boy or girl name?
Tom is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Tom rising or falling?
Tom is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Tom?
Well-known people named Tom include Tom Hanks (actor), Tom Selleck (actor), Tom Cruise (actor).