HANNAH THOMAS

Biblical name, borne by the mother of the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 1:2), Hebrew Hanna. It is derived from a Hebrew word meaning ‘He (i.e. God) has favoured me (i.e. with a child)’. See also Anne. This form of the name was taken up as a given name by the Puritans in the 16th and 17th centuries and remained popular until the late 19th century. Thereafter it fell somewhat from favour but has enjoyed a massive revival since the 1990s.

English, French, German, Dutch, Danish, and South Indian: from the medieval personal name, of Biblical origin, from Aramaic t’ōm’a, a byname meaning ‘twin’. It was borne by one of the disciples of Christ, best known for his scepticism about Christ's resurrection (John 20:24–29). The th- spelling is organic, the initial letter of the name in the Greek New Testament being a theta. The English pronunciation as t rather than th- is the result of French influence from an early date. In Britain the surname is widely distributed throughout the country, but especially common in Wales and Cornwall. The Ukrainian form is Choma. It is found as a personal name among Christians in India, and in the U.S. is used as a family name among families from southern India.