Holmes

/hoʊmz/

//hoʊmz// name

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"holmes" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“Holmes” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #6,479 in English word frequency and used as a proper noun.

#6,479
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A northern English surname from Middle English, variant of Holme.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

Holmes vs home
50% similar
Holmes vs Homs
67% similar
Holmes vs homes
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for Holmes
PropertyValue
HeadwordHolmes
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechProper noun
IPA/hoʊmz/
Letters6
Frequency rank#6,479
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Holmes” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). Holmes lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for Holmes is 6 letters long, classified as a proper noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /hoʊmz/. Corpus data places it at rank #6,479 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 14 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for Holmes, with forms such as "hholmes", "hlomes", and "holems". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "home", "Homs", "homes", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From holme, variant of holm (“islet”). The correct English form is Holmes, spelled H-O-L-M-E-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    A northern English surname from Middle English, variant of Holme.
  2. 2
    A Scottish habitational surname from the place near Dundonald.
  3. 3
    A Scottish habitational surname from the place near Dundonald.
  4. 4
    A male given name transferred from the surname.
  5. 5
    A hamlet in Tarleton parish, West Lancashire district, Lancashire, England (OS grid ref SD4319).
  6. 6
    A suburb of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England (OS grid ref SK4192).
  7. 7
    A suburb of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
  8. 8
    A number of places in the United States:
  9. 9
    A number of places in the United States:
  10. 10
    A number of places in the United States:
  11. 11
    A number of places in the United States:
  12. 12
    A number of places in the United States:
  13. 13
    A number of places in the United States:
  14. 14
    A number of places in the United States:

Etymology

From holme, variant of holm (“islet”).

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: hholmes,hlomes,holems,hollmes,holmess,holmmes,holmse,homles,ohlmes

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Holmes - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

hholmes1hlomes2holems2hollmes1holmess1holmmes1holmse2homles2
Edit distance from "Holmes"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "Holmes"?
"Holmes" is spelled H-O-L-M-E-S. The IPA pronunciation is /hoʊmz/.
What does "Holmes" mean?
As a proper noun, "Holmes" means: A northern English surname from Middle English, variant of Holme.
What words are commonly confused with "Holmes"?
"Holmes" is commonly confused with "home", "Homs", "homes". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "Holmes"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Holmes" is /hoʊmz/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "Holmes"?
From holme, variant of holm (“islet”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “Holmes”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is H-O-L-M-E-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /hoʊmz/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “home” - see the side-by-side comparison. Holmes vs home
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list