Thomas (English)

Where does "Thomas" come from?

The name Thomas originates from the Aramaic word 'tə'ōmā', which literally translates to 'twin.' This term was adopted into Ancient Greek as 'Thōmâs' to identify one of the Twelve Apostles, eventually passing through Latin and Middle English to become the popular name we use today.

Full etymology tree

• Thomas (English), 'An Apostle, best remembered for doubting the resurrection of Jesus.'
  • inherited Thomas (Middle English), 'a male given name from Aramaic'
    • borrowed Thōmās (Latin), 'Thomas the Apostle.'
      • borrowed Θωμᾶς (Thōmâs) (Ancient Greek), 'Thomas'
        • borrowed תאומא (tʾwmʾ) (Aramaic), 'Twin'
          • inherited תאום (tĕʾōm) (Biblical Hebrew)

Direct ancestors

• Thomas (Middle English)
• Thomas (Middle English)
• Thomas (Latin)
• Θωμᾶς (Ancient Greek)
• תאומא (Aramaic)

Updated June 2026

Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris