3 syllables: Tho, mas Hob, bes. Stress on Tho.
tah-muhs-HAHBZ
/ˈtɑː.məs ˈhɑbz/
Thomas Hobbes is pronounced tah-muhs-HAHBZ (/ˈtɑː.məs ˈhɑbz/). It has three syllables (Tho-mas Hob-bes), with the stress on "Tho". Thomas Hobbes is the 17th-century English philosopher best known for his political theory of social contract and the idea of the state as a necessary authority. His name is commonly pronounced with emphasis on the first syllable of both words, and the surname rhymes with 'jobs' while the given name rhymes with 'Tom-us' in common English usage. The reference to him is often found in academic and historical writing.
proper nounThomas Hobbes is the 17th-century English philosopher best known for his political theory of social contract and the idea of the state as a necessary authority. His name is commonly pronounced with emphasis on the first syllable of both words, and the surname rhymes with 'jobs' while the given name rhymes with 'Tom-us' in common English usage. The reference to him is often found in academic and historical writing.
"Thomas Hobbes argued for a powerful sovereign to avoid the chaos of a state of nature."
"In philosophy courses, students study Hobbes’s Leviathan and his view of human nature."
"Scholars often discuss Hobbes alongside Locke and Rousseau when comparing social contract theories."
In standard English, say /ˈtɒməs ˈhɒbz/. The given name Thomas is two syllables with primary stress on the first syllable: TOM-us. Hobbes is a single stressed syllable rhyming with jobs. In US English it sounds like 'TAH-mus HOBZ', in UK English it is 'TOM-us HOBZ' with a broader vowel in the first syllable. If you’re teaching, emphasize the short 'o' in both words and end with a soft z/voiced s.
Common errors: misplacing stress on the second syllable of Thomas (to-МАS) and mispronouncing Hobbes as ‘H ROBBS’ with a long o or silent b. Correct by keeping stress on the first syllable of both words and pronouncing the b as a soft, voiced stop /b/, not silent. Ensure the final /z/ in Hobbes is voiced: /hɒbz/. Practice with minimal pairs: TOM-us vs TAM-us; HOBZ vs HOBS.
US: /ˈtɑː.məs ˈhɑːbz/ with rhotic r influence only in some dialects; UK: /ˈtɒmə s ˈhɒbz/ with shorter vowels and non-rhotic ending in some accents; AU: /ˈtɒmə s ˈhɒbz/ similar to UK but with Australian vowel shifts and non-rhotic tendencies. The main differences are vowel quality in the first syllables (US broad /ɑː/ vs UK /ɒ/), and rhoticity: US tends to hear a more pronounced r-lessness in non-rhotic variants; the final Hobbes ends with a clear /z/ in all.
The challenge lies in the adjacent vowels in Thomas (two quick /ɒ/ or /ɑː/ sounds that differ across dialects) and the final /bz/ cluster in Hobbes where the b is lightly pronounced before the voiced z. Some speakers insert a syllable boundary or mismerge the words. Focus on stressing the first syllables and ending Hobbes with a clear /z/ rather than a /s/ or /v/.
Is there a subtle vowel tensing in Thomas when followed by Hobbes? Not particularly; the dominant feature is the crisp /ˈtɒmə s/ in Thomas followed by the clear /ˈhɒbz/ in Hobbes. The key is to keep the two words crisp and evenly stressed, avoiding linking them as a single elongation. IPA guidance helps: /ˈtɒmə s ˈhɒbz/; practice by saying TOM-uhs HOBZ in quick cadence.
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Thomas is derived from the Aramaic name Ta’oma’ (Hebrew: Ta’oma’, meaning ‘twin’ or ‘gift of God’ in some usages), popularized in medieval Europe by saints and royalty and ultimately anglicized to Thomas. Hobbes is a patronymic surname formed from a diminutive of Hodg(e) or Hob, with the addition of -bs, common in English surnames of the medieval period. The surname Hobbes appeared in early modern England, often indicating ‘son of Hob’ or a descendent of a person named Hob. The name Thomas Hobbes appears in 17th-century English literature as the full identity of the philosopher born in 1588 in Malmesbury, Wiltshire. The first known use in print of Hobbes as a surname is documented in local parish records and legal documents from the late 1500s to early 1600s, with Hobbes achieving prominence through his writings in the 1650s. Over time, Thomas Hobbes’s fame caused the name to be cited primarily in philosophical contexts, while in everyday language it retains both the given name’s biblical origin and the surname’s English lineage. The combined form, Thomas Hobbes, first achieved widespread recognition in academic discourse in the 17th–18th centuries as his Leviathan became a foundational text in political philosophy.
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Words that rhyme with "Thomas Hobbes"
-obs sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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