Matthew Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity
Matthew is predominantly used for boys. The statistics below show this exact spelling in official U.S. records.
How Do You Spell Matthew?
Matthew is spelled M-A-T-T-H-E-W. The name has 7 letters.
Matthew at a Glance
- Usage
- Predominantly used for boys
- Meaning
- Matthew means “gift of Yahweh” or “gift of God.”
- Origin
- Matthew is commonly associated with the Hebrew name Matityahu, which is composed of elements meaning “gift” and “Yahweh.”
- Pronunciation
- MAT-thyoo · 2 syllables
Matthew Popularity in 2025
Rank#14,942
Recorded Births5
Rank#32
Recorded Births7,003
- Girls usage fell 3,820 places to #14,942 and recorded 3 fewer births compared with 2024.
- Boys usage rose 1 place to #32 and recorded 104 fewer births compared with 2024.
Figures reflect this exact spelling in the latest available U.S. Social Security Administration records. See the complete year-by-year trend.
What Does the Name Matthew Mean?
Matthew means “gift of Yahweh” or “gift of God.”
Origin: Matthew is commonly associated with the Hebrew name Matityahu, which is composed of elements meaning “gift” and “Yahweh.”
How Do You Pronounce Matthew?
PronunciationMAT-thyoo
Syllables2
What Is the History of the Name Matthew?
- History
- Matthew has been used in English-speaking regions since the Middle Ages, influenced by the New Testament gospel of Matthew, one of the twelve apostles.
Matthew Popularity by Year
The table below shows the most recent available records for this exact spelling from 2014 through 2025. Use the full history page to explore every recorded year.
| Year | Usage Category | Recorded Births | National Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Girls | 5 | #14,942 |
| 2025 | Boys | 7,003 | #32 |
| 2024 | Girls | 8 | #11,122 |
| 2024 | Boys | 7,107 | #33 |
| 2023 | Girls | 6 | #13,462 |
| 2023 | Boys | 7,234 | #32 |
| 2022 | Girls | 9 | #10,383 |
| 2022 | Boys | 7,077 | #39 |
| 2021 | Girls | 10 | #9,562 |
| 2021 | Boys | 7,489 | #36 |
| 2020 | Girls | 7 | #12,142 |
| 2020 | Boys | 8,142 | #30 |
| 2019 | Girls | 15 | #7,342 |
| 2019 | Boys | 9,277 | #23 |
| 2018 | Girls | 10 | #9,806 |
| 2018 | Boys | 10,009 | #20 |
| 2017 | Girls | 13 | #8,299 |
| 2017 | Boys | 11,732 | #16 |
| 2016 | Girls | 12 | #8,875 |
| 2016 | Boys | 12,665 | #15 |
| 2015 | Girls | 15 | #7,613 |
| 2015 | Boys | 12,785 | #15 |
| 2014 | Girls | 15 | #7,636 |
| 2014 | Boys | 12,944 | #16 |
When Was Matthew Most Popular?
Peak years are based on the highest recorded birth totals for this exact spelling and usage category. They are ordered by birth count, not chronologically.
1983 · Boys
50,209 recorded births
National rank #3
1984 · Boys
49,767 recorded births
National rank #3
1985 · Boys
47,075 recorded births
National rank #3
1986 · Boys
46,929 recorded births
National rank #3
Where Matthew Ranked Highest in 2025
State rankings are calculated separately for girls and boys within each state. The SSA omits state-level names recorded fewer than five times, so low visible counts can still represent a relatively high state rank.
Top States for Boys
| State | Rank | Recorded Births |
|---|---|---|
| FL | #10 | 658 |
| NY | #17 | 520 |
| NJ | #20 | 253 |
| TX | #22 | 890 |
| CA | #23 | 996 |
| CT | #23 | 92 |
| AK | #25 | 19 |
| KS | #31 | 76 |