boy's name
Matthew
MATH-yoo
- Origin Hebrew
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 7
- Popularity Top 100 (US)
- Births on record 1,839,948
the United States
#32
2025 births
Matthew is a boy's name of Hebrew origin meaning "gift of Yahweh," from Mattityahu. It belongs to the tax collector called as one of the twelve apostles and traditionally credited with the first gospel of the New Testament.
- Matthew is a name of Hebrew origin.
- Peaked in 1983, when 50,526 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 473 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Matthew over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 1,068 |
| 1890s | 1,132 |
| 1900s | 1,188 |
| 1910s | 6,233 |
| 1920s | 8,587 |
| 1930s | 6,268 |
| 1940s | 8,775 |
| 1950s | 35,860 |
| 1960s | 106,277 |
| 1970s | 278,959 |
| 1980s | 461,518 |
| 1990s | 352,417 |
| 2000s | 222,020 |
| 2010s | 125,256 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 44,097 |
What Matthew means
Matthew means gift of Yahweh, built from the Hebrew mattan, meaning gift, and a shortened form of the divine name. It expresses the same idea as Nathaniel and the Greek Theodore, all three meaning a gift from God in different languages.
Where Matthew comes from
Matthew comes from the Hebrew Mattityahu, from mattan, gift, and Yah, a contraction of Yahweh. It passed into Greek as Matthaios and Latin as Matthaeus, producing Mateo in Spanish, Matteo in Italian, Matthieu in French, and Matthew in English. The apostle Matthew is presented in the gospels as a tax collector — a despised occupation under Roman administration — called by Jesus from his collection post, and tradition assigns him authorship of the gospel that bears his name. The name has been in continuous English use since the medieval period, when the gospel writers' names were among the most commonly given.
Matthew in use
Matthew, Nathaniel, and Theodore all mean gift of God, in Hebrew, Hebrew, and Greek respectively.
How popular is Matthew?
In 2025, Matthew was given to 7,008 babies in the United States, ranking #32 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Where Matthew is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Matthew
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Matthew also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Matthew over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
5 nicknames for Matthew
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Matthew in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Matthew
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Matthew — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Matthew
What does the name Matthew mean?
Matthew means "gift of Yahweh," from the Hebrew Mattityahu.
Who was Matthew in the Bible?
A tax collector called as one of the twelve apostles, traditionally credited with the first gospel.
Is Mateo the same name as Matthew?
Yes. Mateo is the Spanish form of the same Hebrew name.
How popular is the name Matthew?
In 2025, Matthew was given to 7,008 babies in the United States, ranking #32 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Is Matthew a girl's or a boy's name?
Matthew is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Matthew?
Matthew has 2 syllables.
When was Matthew most popular?
Matthew peaked in 1983, when 50,526 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Matthew?
Matthew is usually shortened to Matt, Matty, Mat, Mattie and Mateo.
Is Matthew a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Matthew currently ranks #32 in the United States. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.