Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Which do you prefer? Thomas or Henry?

73 replies

Namesnamesnames13 · 30/08/2026 09:10

Thomas or Henry?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
user1492757084 · 02/09/2026 09:53

Thomas, but both handsome.

anewlifeinthesun · 31/08/2026 18:28

Henry

SemperIdem · 31/08/2026 15:46

I’ve never met a Thomas who doesn’t go by Tom. Similar to David/Dave, Alexander/Alex, Christopher/Chris, Theodore/Theo, Samuel/Sam, Daniel/Dan etc. It’s just one of those names. Great name but rarely will they be called the long form so you have to like the diminutive.

I do like Henry but many of the little ones I’ve come across recently get called “Henhen” by family, which makes my toes curl.

Everleigh13 · 31/08/2026 15:40

Thomas. I really like Tom.

I don’t like Henry.

Daffodilsinthespring · 31/08/2026 15:36

Henry. Too many boys named Thomas.

Pemba · 31/08/2026 13:33

Thomas is nicer imo - classic and more or less timeless (although there were none I knew amongst my contemporaries, born 1960s, but later on in the 70s it returned and still quite popular today I think).

Suits boys and men of all ages. Well known internationally as well.

SabrinaThwaite · 31/08/2026 13:17

StationJack · 31/08/2026 11:45

If you want to see what my deleted message about do an advanced search on the OP's name.

OP must be planning well ahead, unless thinking of changing one of the DC’s names?

babasaclover · 31/08/2026 13:14

Thomas. I know too many dogs named Henry so don’t see it as a human name now

purser25 · 31/08/2026 13:08

I. Automatically thought of Thomas the tank engine Thomas is a happy friendly engine whilst Henry was grumpy and got shut in a tunnel because he didn’t want to get his paint wet

AatoZz · 31/08/2026 12:49

I like both - Thomas as the first name and Henry as the middle name?

StationJack · 31/08/2026 11:45

If you want to see what my deleted message about do an advanced search on the OP's name.

Bluenotgreen · 31/08/2026 11:36

Thomas

dustabsorber · 31/08/2026 11:33

Got that wrong Gordon was the big engine. Henry was green and Thomas blue.

dustabsorber · 31/08/2026 11:31

Gordon the Green Engine was my favourite

Crikeyalmighty · 31/08/2026 11:30

Thomas - as I have my lovely 20 something Tom !

Norwaygirl · 31/08/2026 11:15

I don't follow rugby either. All my friends who have Thomas' (and there are many) realised they had to start calling them Tom as soon as they reached 15/16 because Thomas isn't a name that suits a man.

StationJack · 31/08/2026 11:06

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Armorlux · 31/08/2026 10:43

Norwaygirl · 31/08/2026 08:47

Henry. Thomas is a wet name in the same category as Rupert and Timothy. You can't be called Thomas when you are 35 and play rugby, it always has to be shortened to Tom.

First time I've ever heard Thomas described as wet! But I'm not into rugby, which sounds like there may be some macho stereotyping involved. Do they screen you out by name?

ChasingRainbow5 · 31/08/2026 10:28

JMSA · 30/08/2026 14:13

As a Scot, Thomas would be better. You’d really only find Henrys at private school here.
I do love Hector though 😁

I’m 99% sure the OP lives in Scotland and has a son named Henry 😂

DramaAlpaca · 31/08/2026 10:27

I like both, but have a slight preference for Thomas.

Moomieboo · 31/08/2026 10:24

They are both trains to me !

StationJack · 31/08/2026 10:18

@ToKittyornottoKitty , you wouldn't need to be a royal follower to know it. It probably would have been mentioned in school history lessons that Henry VIII was known as Harry by many.
And you're in Baby names where it is mentioned quite often.
There was no need to be rude.

Enko · 31/08/2026 08:47

Of the 2 I prefer Thomas

Bournetilly · 31/08/2026 08:47

I prefer Henry. I don’t like Thomas but Tommy is cute.

Norwaygirl · 31/08/2026 08:47

Henry. Thomas is a wet name in the same category as Rupert and Timothy. You can't be called Thomas when you are 35 and play rugby, it always has to be shortened to Tom.