UK boy's name
Thompson
An English surname meaning "son of Thomas".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2017. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Thompson is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Thompson popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2017 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4812, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2000, with 3 births.
This profile covers 12 England and Wales registrations across 4 recorded years from 2000 to 2017. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 15 living people in the UK are called Thompson. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2018 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Thompson ranked #4812 for boys in England and Wales in 2017, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2000, when 3 boys were registered as Thompson.
- • Thompson ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #395 in 2023.
- • About 15 living people in the UK are estimated to have Thompson as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4812
2017
Births in 2017
3
Latest year
Peak year
2000
3 births
Estimated living
15
2026
Meaning
What does Thompson mean?
The name Thompson is an English given name that originated as a surname derived from the occupation of a maker of thongs or straps. It is believed to have emerged in the late 12th or early 13th century, stemming from the Old English words "thwong" meaning strap or rope, and "mann" meaning man.
The earliest recorded use of Thompson as a surname dates back to the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a William Thomasson is mentioned in Oxfordshire, England. As a given name, it began to be used in the 16th century, initially as a patronymic, with the son of a Thomas being called Thompson.
One of the earliest notable figures with the given name Thompson was Thompson Buck (c.1590-1634), an English navigator and explorer who accompanied Sir Thomas Roe on his voyage to India and the East Indies in 1615. He later published a detailed account of his travels titled "Relation of a Voyage to the East Indies."
Another significant historical figure with the name Thompson was Thompson Westcott (1668-1744), an English churchman and theologian who served as the Bishop of Bristol from 1727 until his death. He was known for his scholarly works on Christian doctrine and his efforts to promote education in his diocese.
In the realm of science, Thompson Rion (1794-1838) was an American chemist and mineralogist who made significant contributions to the study of minerals and their classification. He was one of the founding members of the American Association of Geologists and Naturalists.
The name Thompson also has a notable literary connection with Thompson Buchanan (1808-1841), an American poet and essayist who was part of the Transcendentalist movement. His works, such as "Outlines of Men, Women, and Things," explored themes of nature, spirituality, and the human condition.
Lastly, in the realm of music, Thompson Eugene Ruggles (1887-1959) was an American composer known for his innovative and experimental works. He was a pioneer of dissonant counterpoint and influenced the development of modern classical music in the United States.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Thompson over time
The chart below shows babies named Thompson registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2000 to 2017. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Thompson, the clearest high point is 2000. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2017, compared with 3 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Thompson by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Thompson was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4811 | 6 | 2 |
| 2000s | #3685 | 6 | 2 |
Geography
Where Thompson is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Thompson. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Thompson ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #395 in 2023.
Across the UK
Thompson in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#395 in 2023
1 years of NISRA records, 3 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Thompson
-
Thompson Dagnall
sculptor
British artist
1956-
-
Thompson Kirkham
association football player
English footballer (1901-1986)
1901-1986
-
Thompson Donald
politician
Irish politician (1876-1957)
1876-1957
-
Thompson Capper
military personnel
British First World War general (1863–1915)
1863-1915
-
Thompson Green
politician; boilermaker; trade unionist
Australian politician (1861-1945)
1861-1945
-
Thompson Cooper
biographer; journalist
English journalist, man of letters, and biographer
1837-1904
Related
Names similar to Thompson
- Thomas 160,894
- Tyler 42,147
- Theo 40,594
- Toby 32,482
- Theodore 30,211
- Tommy 25,300
- Teddy 20,781
- Taylor 14,354
- Tobias 13,102
- Tom 9,822
- Tristan 9,171
- Timothy 6,200
FAQ
Thompson: questions and answers
How popular is the name Thompson in the UK right now?
In 2017, Thompson was ranked #4812 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Thompson most popular?
The peak year on record was 2000, with 3 babies registered as Thompson in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Thompson?
An English surname meaning "son of Thomas".
How many people are called Thompson in the UK?
A total of 12 babies have been registered as Thompson across the 4 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here and 3 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Thompson most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Thompson ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #395 in 2023. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.