Boy · #36 in 2026

Matthew

Matthew is an English language masculine given name. It ultimately derives from the Hebrew name "מַתִּתְיָהוּ" (Matityahu).

  • English
  • Biblical
Current Rank
#36
Peak Rank
#2 (1983)
Total Babies
1.7M
5-Yr Trend
-25%
1911
First Year
2024
Last Year
1983
Peak Year
#570
Peak Rank
6K
Total Count
81
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Matthew

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Matthew is an English language masculine given name. It ultimately derives from the Hebrew name "מַתִּתְיָהוּ" (Matityahu).

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • English
  • Biblical
Etymology
The Hebrew name מַתִּתְיָהוּ ( Matityahu ) was transliterated into Greek as Ματταθίας ( Mattathias ). It was subsequently superseded by Ματθαῖος ( Matthaios ); this was Latinised as Matthaeus , which became Matthew in English. The popularity of the name is due to Matthew the Apostle , one of the twelve apostles of Jesus and the traditional author of the Gospel of Matthew . Maiú and Maidiú were both a borrowing of the name Matthew among the Anglo-Normans settlers in Ireland . Maitiú is the most common Irish form of the name. Matthew is also used as an anglicisation of the Irish name Mathúin (me

The Story of Matthew

The earliest SSA record of Matthew as a baby boy name dates back to 1880, when 113 babies received it. 1983 was its biggest year on record, with 50,208 newborns named Matthew — #3 in the national rankings. The 1980s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 28% of all recorded Matthews. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #36 among baby boy names with 6,771 births, falling sharply (-25%). In total, more than 1.7M Matthews have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Variants & Related Forms of Matthew

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Matthew. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Names that sound like Matthew

Phonetically similar names — useful when Matthew is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Matthew

What does the name Matthew mean?
Matthew is an English language masculine given name. It ultimately derives from the Hebrew name "מַתִּתְיָהוּ" (Matityahu).
What is the origin of the name Matthew?
Matthew has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: English, Biblical.
How popular is Matthew in 2026?
In 2026, Matthew ranks #36 among boys' names in the U.S., with 6,771 babies given the name that year.
When was Matthew most popular?
Matthew reached its peak popularity in 1983, ranking #2 that year with 50,208 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Matthew most popular?
Matthew has historically been most popular in Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Matthew.
Is Matthew a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Matthew is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Matthew?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Matthew include William, Christopher, Mason. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.
What are nicknames or variants of Matthew?
Common variants and related forms of Matthew include Mat, Mathew, Matt, Mattie, Matty. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

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About the name Matthew

Matthew is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 1.7M births in the dataset. Matthew's peak popularity came in 1983 when it ranked #2. Use the chart and map above to compare Matthew's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.