Toms Trivia Quiz

Answer: twin

The name Thomas was originally Aramaic, and means "twin". There are several forms of the name, but Thomas, Tom and Tommy are the best known in English speaking countries. The female forms include Thomasina and Tamzin.

Answer: All three

Charles Sherwood Stratton, known as "Tom Thumb" (after the fairy tale character) was born in 1838. He worked for showman P. T. Barnum for some years, and was married to Lavinia Warren. He died in 1883.

Tom Thumb was a character in a story by the Brothers Grimm. he was a little boy the size of his mother's thumb.

Tom Thumb tomatoes are sometimes known as cherry tomatoes, because they are so small.

Answer: Magnum

Magnum P.I., which began in 1980, remains one of Tom Selleck's most recognised roles. Higgins was the manager of the estate where Magnum worked, and Zeus and Apollo were the dogs. Magnum was a character rather in the Jim Rockford style... a hero who bruised when punched and ran away if necessary to save his skin.

Answer: A male cat.

Tom cats (tom-cats, tomcats) have been so called for centuries, although during some periods they were also known as "gibs". Females are called "queens" or "she cats". In the Middle Ages the name Tom was almost as popular as Jack, and both have left their marks all over the English language. "Gib" was a short form of "Gilbert", another popular name.

Answer: Doubting Thomas

Thomas was one of the twelve disciples of Christ. When the eleven met Jesus again after the resurrection, Thomas refused to believe until he had touched the marks of the nails and the wound in Jesus' side. For this he became known as "Doubting Thomas". The term has entered popular language as an idiom for a person who is difficult to convince.

Answer: True Thomas

There are many different versions of the Scottish ballad in which he appears, but in all of them Thomas the Rhymer, like Tan Lin, was stolen away by the Fairy Queen/ Queen of Elfland. The queen gave Thomas a gift of truth, but that was rather inconvenient later. Thus her use of his nickname, "True Thomas", sounds like a compliment but was really a rather cruel joke.

Answer: Tobias

Tam and Tammas are dialect forms of Thomas, while "Thos" is a common written abbreviation. Tobias is a Hebrew name meaning "Goodness of the Lord" while Thomas is Aramaic and means "twin".

Answer: A drum

A tom-tom is a cylindrical drum, and has no snare. Historically, tom-toms have been used both for music and communication.

Answer: A sample name used by the British Army to demonstrate form-filling.

Just as US soldiers are sometimes known as "G.I. Joe", so English soldiers are referred to as "tommies". The name comes from "Tommy Atkins", used as a specimen signature on documents to be signed by military personnel. However, it seems the name was in use before it became "official" and at least two brave or stoic soldiers have been suggested as "the original Tommy Atkins".

Answer: A 13th Century scholar

Saint Thomas Aquinas was born in 1225 at Roccasecca, Italy. He was a theologian and scholar, a Dominican who studied the work of Aristotle. He died in March, 1274.