Matthew
From earlier Matheu, from Old French Mathieu, from Latin Matthaeus, from Ancient Greek Ματθαῖος (Matthaîos), from Aramaic מַתַּי (mattay).
Every Matthew since 1880 — 1,659,655 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Matthew
Matthew is a top-50 name for boys in the United States, ranked #32 in 2025 with 7,003 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 1,659,655 American babies have been named Matthew. Its peak came in 1983, when 50,526 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1980s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Matthew stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Matthew year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | #16,434 | 7,003 | #32 |
| 2024 | 8 | #11,781 | 7,107 | #33 |
| 2023 | 6 | #14,560 | 7,234 | #32 |
| 2022 | 9 | #10,925 | 7,077 | #39 |
| 2021 | 10 | #10,053 | 7,489 | #36 |
| 2020 | 7 | #13,010 | 8,142 | #30 |
| 2019 | 15 | #7,588 | 9,277 | #23 |
| 2018 | 10 | #10,303 | 10,009 | #20 |
| 2017 | 13 | #8,610 | 11,732 | #16 |
| 2016 | 12 | #9,236 | 12,665 | #15 |
| 2015 | 15 | #7,865 | 12,785 | #15 |
| 2014 | 15 | #7,938 | 12,944 | #16 |
| 2013 | 17 | #7,271 | 13,364 | #15 |
| 2012 | 21 | #6,263 | 13,993 | #12 |
| 2011 | 22 | #6,073 | 14,184 | #12 |
| 2010 | 15 | #8,158 | 14,148 | #16 |
| 2009 | 18 | #7,243 | 16,010 | #13 |
| 2008 | 23 | #6,069 | 17,604 | #10 |
| 2007 | 23 | #6,021 | 18,756 | #9 |
| 2006 | 22 | #6,057 | 20,339 | #5 |
| 2005 | 33 | #4,236 | 21,483 | #4 |
| 2004 | 105 | #1,816 | 22,882 | #4 |
| 2003 | 38 | #3,706 | 24,011 | #4 |
| 2002 | 34 | #3,858 | 25,154 | #4 |
| 2001 | 49 | #2,948 | 26,812 | #3 |
| 2000 | 44 | #3,148 | 28,580 | #3 |
| 1995 | 63 | #2,144 | 32,882 | #2 |
| 1990 | 125 | #1,305 | 44,826 | #3 |
| 1985 | 294 | #636 | 47,075 | #3 |
| 1980 | 193 | #819 | 37,834 | #6 |
| 1975 | 113 | #1,051 | 28,527 | #9 |
| 1970 | 64 | #1,538 | 20,185 | #24 |
| 1965 | 24 | #2,511 | 9,982 | #36 |
| 1960 | 11 | #4,080 | 6,925 | #61 |
| 1955 | 6 | #5,624 | 3,279 | #105 |
| 1950 | — | — | 1,299 | #174 |
| 1945 | — | — | 730 | #198 |
| 1940 | 5 | #4,816 | 664 | #198 |
| 1935 | — | — | 654 | #195 |
| 1930 | 8 | #3,549 | 657 | #204 |
| 1925 | — | — | 840 | #174 |
| 1920 | — | — | 967 | #152 |
| 1915 | — | — | 798 | #150 |
| 1910 | — | — | 197 | #158 |
| 1905 | — | — | 107 | #177 |
| 1900 | — | — | 130 | #162 |
| 1895 | — | — | 112 | #139 |
| 1890 | — | — | 86 | #165 |
| 1885 | — | — | 111 | #124 |
| 1880 | — | — | 113 | #117 |
Famous people named Matthew
- Matthew the Apostle Religious figure · 10–74
- Matthew C. Perry Military personnel · 1794–1858
- Matthew McConaughey Actor · b. 1969
- Matthew Kantakouzenos Politician · 1325–1383
- Matthew Perry Actor · b. 1969
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Matthew mean?
From earlier Matheu, from Old French Mathieu, from Latin Matthaeus, from Ancient Greek Ματθαῖος (Matthaîos), from Aramaic מַתַּי (mattay).
How popular is the name Matthew in 2025?
Matthew ranked #32 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 7,003 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Matthew?
1,659,655 babies have been named Matthew in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Matthew most popular?
Matthew peaked in 1983, when 50,526 newborns received the name.
Is Matthew a boy or girl name?
Matthew is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Matthew rising or falling?
Matthew is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Matthew?
Well-known people named Matthew include Matthew the Apostle (religious figure), Matthew C. Perry (military personnel), Matthew McConaughey (actor).