Matthew
2025 SSA
2025 SSA
About Matthew
Matthew was the third most popular boys' name in America throughout the 1980s and '90s, and is still one of the top boy names starting with M. The New Testament Matthew is the epitome of the fashionable classic—safe and sturdy, yet with a more engaging personality than John or William.
Matthew is the English derivative of Matthaios, the Greek form of the Hebrew Mattiyahu, composed of mattan, meaning "gift" and yah, in reference to God. The biblical Matthew was the apostle who wrote the first Gospel in the New Testament. Mateo, Matthias, Teo, Matek, and Mattia are among the many names derived from Matthew.
Matthew is so common by now, though, that parents have started to seek fresher choices, like Matthew-inspired variations Matthias and Mateo.
The name suddenly became very popular in the U.S. in the 1960s, with Matts appearing on many Western (e.g., Gunsmoke's Marshall Matt Dillon) and other TV shows. Currently there are several prominent real-life Matthews and Matts, including Broderick, McConaughey, Lauer, Damon and Dillon. Celebs who have chosen international versions for their starbabies include Ricky Martin (Matteo), Benjamin Bratt (Matteo), Colin Firth (Mateo) and Will Ferrell (Mattias).
Matthew is also given to girls, where it ranks #16434 in the US.
Pronounced MATH-yu.
As of October 2026, Matthew ranked #32 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #2 in 1995, Nameberry popularity #133.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank · boys | Births · boys | US rank · girls | Births · girls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #16 | 12,940 | — | 0 |
| 2015 | #15 | 12,783 | — | 0 |
| 2016 | #15 | 12,665 | — | 0 |
| 2017 | #16 | 11,730 | — | 0 |
| 2018 | #20 | 10,004 | — | 0 |
| 2019 | #23 | 9,270 | — | 0 |
| 2020 | #30 | 8,137 | — | 0 |
| 2021 | #36 | 7,479 | — | 0 |
| 2022 | #39 | 7,070 | — | 0 |
| 2023 | #32 | 7,221 | — | 0 |
| 2024 | #33 | 7,078 | — | 0 |
| 2025 | #32 | 7,003 | — | 0 |
World rankings
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Matthew.
Matthew on lists
Famous Matthews
- Matthew Charles "Matt" CzuchryBoy
American actor
- Matthew "MatPat" PatrickBoy
YouTube personality
- Saint MatthewBoy
Apostle
- Matthew FlindersBoy
English navigator who first identified Australia
- Matthew Calbraith PerryBoy
U.S. Navy commodore
- Matthew ArnoldBoy
English poet
- Matthew James "Matt" BellamyBoy
English lead singer of band Muse
- Matthew Staton "Matt" BomerBoy
American actor
- Matthew BroderickBoy
American actor
- Matthew Paige "Matt" DamonBoy
American actor
- Matthew Chandler FoxBoy
American actor
- (David) Matthew MacfadyenBoy
English actor
- Matthew EbdenBoy
Australian tennis player
- Matthew StevensBoy
Welsh snooker player
- Matthew Rhys (Evans)Boy
Welsh actor
- Matthew David McConaugheyBoy
American actor
- Matthew "Matt" PhillipsBoy
Scottish professional footballer
- Matthew Langford PerryBoy
American actor
- Matthew PatonBoy
Scottish Covenanter executed after the Battle of Rullion Green
- Matthew Steven "Matt" LeBlancBoy
American actor
- Matthew David "Matt" LewisBoy
English actor
- Matthew Robert 'Matt' SmithBoy
English actor, known as the 11th Doctor
- Matthew Gray GublerBoy
American actor, director and model
- (John) Matthew StaffordBoy
American football player
- Matthew BrettinghamBoy
English architect
- Matthew BoultonBoy
English businessman and partner of James Watt
- Matthew Gray NelsonBoy
musician, son of actor/musician Ricky Nelson
- Matthew William LawrenceBoy
American actor
- Matthew RomanoBoy
son of actor Ray Romano
- Matthew James "Matt" ShivelyBoy
Jr, American actor
- Matthew "MattyB" MorrisBoy
American rapper
- Matthew PhineasBoy
son of actress Mia Farrow
- (Cameron) Matthew FollowillBoy
musician for American band Kings of Leon
- Matthew TimmonsBoy
American actor
- (Jeffrey) Matthew SettleBoy
American actor
- Matthew Edward LoweBoy
son of actor Rob Lowe
- Matthew James "Matt" MorrisonBoy
American actor
- Matthew "Da Kurlzz" St. ClaireBoy
musician of band Hollywood Undead
- Matthew "Matt" CahillBoy
English singer of band Kingsland Road
- Matthew Joseph "Matt" CohenBoy
American actor
- Matthew Kelly SharpBoy
American bass player and founding member of the band Weezer
- Matthew "M Shadows" SandersBoy
American musician, singer of Avenged Sevenfold
- Matthew "Matt" McGorryBoy
American actor, feminist and equality activist
- Matthew Jay PovichBoy
son of Connie Chung and Maury Povich
- Matthew Andrew DaddarioBoy
American actor
- Matthew SantoroBoy
Canadian vlogger
- Matthew RomneyBoy
son of American politician Mitt Romney
- Matthew AboodBoy
Australian swimmer
- Matthew "Matt" MeeseBoy
American actor and co,creator of YouTube sketch comedy show Studio C
- Matthew GoodeBoy
English actor
- Matthew "Matt" Thomas CainBoy
former San Francisco Giants baseball pitcher
- Matthew Scott “Matt” BeslerBoy
American soccer player
- Matthew "Matt" NiskanenBoy
professional hockey player
- Matthew ShearBoy
American actor and producer
- Matthew Alejandro Mattola (b. 2011)Boy
son of American music executive Tommy Mattola and Mexican telenovela star
- Matthew WilderBoy
American singer
- Matthew “Matt” WalshBoy
American commentator
Matthew in pop culture
- Matthew CrawleyBoy
character on TV's "Downton Abbey"
- Matthew "Matt" DillonBoy
character on TV's "Gunsmoke" portrayed by James Arness
- Matthew FairchildBoy
character in upcoming trilogy The Last Hours by Cassandra Clare
- Matthew "Matty" McKibbenBoy
character on MTV's "Awkward"
- Matthew "Matt" Murdock aka DaredevilBoy
Marvel Comics superhero
- Matthew WilliamsBoy
the personification of Canada in the manga/anime "Axis Powers: Hetalia"
- Matthew "MattBoy
" main character on educational animated series "Cyberchase"
- Matthew CooperBoy
character on TV's "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman"
- Matthew CuthbertBoy
character in L.M. Montgomery's "Anne of Green Gables" series
- Mathew "Matt" FreemanBoy
main character in the "Power of Five" series
- Matthew "Matt" DonovanBoy
character in The Vampire Diaries series
- Matthew "MattBoy
" character in video game "Until Dawn"
- Matthew TilpinBoy
character in Jenny Nimmo's "The Children of the Red King" series
- Matthew DerringerBoy
character in the YouTube series "Most Popular Girls in School"
- Matthew "Matt" CaseyBoy
character on TV's "Chicago Fire"
- Matthew LynchBoy
character in book series "The Raven Cycle"
- 'Matthew And Son'Boy
song by Cat Stevens
- Matthew "Matt" McGinnisBoy
character in DC Universe
- Matthew HagenBoy
also known as Clayface, character in DC Universe
- Matthew KidmanBoy
character in the 2004 film "The Girl Next Door"
- MatthewBoy
character in the games Seduce Me and Seduce Me 2
- Matthew "Matt" SaracenBoy
character in Friday Night Lights