Where does the name Tommy come from?

Tommy is a boy name of Aramaic origin.

Is Tommy a boy or a girl name?

Tommy is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 2% of children given the name Tommy are girls and 98% are boys.

How popular is the name Tommy in 2023?

Tommy ranks #6146 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1947 with 4,649 babies.

How do you pronounce Tommy?

Tommy is pronounced TOM-ee (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Tommy?

Tommy is also written as Tom, Tommie, Thomas.

A name from Aramaic · Boy

Tommy

A diminutive of Thomas, from Aramaic Te'oma meaning 'twin'. So embedded in British English usage that 'Tommy' became the generic nickname for a British soldier through both World Wars.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

177,953 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

407 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

TA diminutive of Thomas, from Aramaic Te'oma meaning 'twin'. So embedded in British English usage that 'Tommy' became the generic nickname for a British soldier through both World Wars.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Tommy".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Tom Most common Tommie Thomas

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Tommy.

T
Tommy Lee Jones (Oscar-winning actor)
T
Tommy Hilfiger (designer)
T
Tommy Lee (Mötley Crüe drummer)

Quick answers

People often ask about Tommy.

What does the name Tommy mean?: Tommy means a diminutive of Thomas, from Aramaic Te'oma meaning 'twin'. So embedded in British English usage that 'Tommy' became the generic nickname for a British soldier through both World Wars.
Where does the name Tommy come from?: Tommy is a boy name of Aramaic origin.
Is Tommy a boy or a girl name?: Tommy is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 2% of children given the name Tommy are girls and 98% are boys.
How popular is the name Tommy in 2023?: Tommy ranks #6146 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1947 with 4,649 babies.
How do you pronounce Tommy?: Tommy is pronounced TOM-ee (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Tommy?: Tommy is also written as Tom, Tommie, Thomas.

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From the Old French taillour, an occupational surname for one who cuts cloth — a tailor

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A short form of Tamara, from Hebrew Tamar meaning 'date palm' — a tree symbolizing grace and fertility in the Hebrew Bible

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From the Old French traverser meaning 'to cross' — originally a surname for a toll-collector at a crossing or bridge

From the Middle English surname todde meaning 'fox' — a nickname applied to a cunning or fox-haired person

About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.