Thompson

Name: Thompson, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/ˈtɒmp.sən/

//ˈtɒmp.sən// name

By PlainSpell · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“Thompson” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #4,497. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#4,497
frequency rank, English: 27,828
“T” headwords: 13
tracked misspellings: 1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A British surname transferred from the given name.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

Thompson vs Thomson

88% similar

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

Key facts for Thompson
Property	Value
Headword	Thompson
Language	English
Part of speech	Proper noun
IPA	/ˈtɒmp.sən/
Letters	8
Frequency rank	#4,497
Misspellings tracked	13
Confusable pairs	1
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Thompson” 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). Thompson lands here:

#4,497

#1#100#1K#10K#100K

← used constantlyrarely used →

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

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around Thompson (IPA /ˈtɒmp.sən/), aproper noun. Corpus frequency is #4,497 among 27,828 “T” headwords. Wiktionary lists 19 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for Thompson, with forms such as "htompson", "thhompson", and "thmopson". 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 1 confusable-pair relationship, "Thomson", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Variant of Thomson, from Tom + -son, originally meaning "son of Thomas". In some instances of people so named, a calque of Scottish Gaelic MacTamhais (“McTavish”); also an anglicisation of the Gaelic name MacTamhais, meaning "son of Thomas". The correct English form is Thompson, spelled T-H-O-M-P-S-O-N.

Definition

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A British surname transferred from the given name.
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A British surname transferred from the given name.
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An Interior Salish language spoken in British Columbia and formerly in Washington.

Etymology

Variant of Thomson, from Tom + -son, originally meaning "son of Thomas". In some instances of people so named, a calque of Scottish Gaelic MacTamhais (“McTavish”); also an anglicisation of the Gaelic name MacTamhais, meaning "son of Thomas".

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

htompson
thhompson
thmopson
thommpson
thomposn
thomppson
thompsno
thompsonn
thompsson
thomspon
thopmson
tohmpson
tthompson

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Thompson - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

Edit distance from "Thompson"

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 "Thompson"?

"Thompson" is spelled T-H-O-M-P-S-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtɒmp.sən/.

What does "Thompson" mean?

As a proper noun, "Thompson" means: A British surname transferred from the given name.

What words are commonly confused with "Thompson"?

"Thompson" is commonly confused with "Thomson". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.

How do you pronounce "Thompson"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Thompson" is /ˈtɒmp.sən/. 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 "Thompson"?

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 “Thompson”

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

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

Same frequency band

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.