Mathew Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: MATH-yoo //ˈmæθ.juː//
Origin: Hebrew; English
Meaning: Hebrew: gift of God; English: variant of Matthew
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Mathew is derived from the Hebrew name Matityahu, meaning "gift of God." This name was transliterated into Greek as Matthaios and subsequently into Latin as Matthaeus. The transition into Old French as Mathieu ultimately led to the modern English form, Mathew.
The name has deep roots in religious texts, particularly in the Christian tradition, where it is associated with Saint Matthew, one of the twelve apostles and the author of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. This Gospel, believed to have been written in the first century, plays a significant role in Christian theology and has contributed to the name's enduring presence in various cultures.
Historically, the name Mathew has been borne by numerous notable figures, including saints and scholars. The Feast of Saint Matthew is celebrated on September 21, commemorating his contributions to Christianity.
The name's prominence was further solidified during the Middle Ages, as it became popular among Christians in Europe, particularly in England, due to its biblical associations. The King James Bible, published in 1611, also played a role in popularizing the name through its use in religious contexts.
Culturally, Mathew has been associated with qualities such as wisdom and faithfulness, reflecting the characteristics attributed to Saint Matthew in religious narratives. The name has various diminutive forms, such as Matt, which have also gained usage over time.
The enduring significance of Mathew in religious and cultural contexts underscores its historical resonance, making it a name with a rich legacy that spans centuries.
Famous people named Mathew
In this section, you will find notable people named Mathew. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Mathew who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Mathew who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Mathew Perry is an actor best known for Friends, The Whole Nine Yards, and 17 Again.
Mathew Horne is an actor best known for Gavin & Stacey, The Bad Education Movie, and The Catherine Tate Show.
Mathew Knowles is a music executive best known for managing Destiny's Child and Beyoncé.
Mathew Baynton is an actor best known for Horrible Histories, Yonderland, and The Wrong Mans.
Fictional characters named Mathew
The following list of fictional characters named Mathew is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Mathew is a fictional character from the video game series The Legend of Zelda. He is a key figure in the storyline, often providing guidance and support to the protagonist Link.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Mathew, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Mathew. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Mathew was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Mathew has ranked as high as #283 nationally, which occurred in 1990, and has been most popular in California, New York, Texas, Ohio, and Florida.
In the past 5 years the name Mathew has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Mathew is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Mathew was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Mathew (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 57 | |
| TX | 37 | |
| FL | 14 | |
| NY | 13 | |
| GA | 11 | |
| MA | 7 | |
| AZ | 7 | |
| OH | 7 | |
| IL | 6 | |
| UT | 6 | |
| VA | 5 | |
| MN | 5 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Mathew.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 244 |
| 2023 | 259 |
| 2022 | 271 |
| 2021 | 315 |
| 2020 | 350 |
| 2019 | 389 |
| 2018 | 478 |
| 2017 | 503 |
| 2016 | 565 |
| 2015 | 628 |
| 2014 | 625 |
| 2013 | 674 |
| 2012 | 656 |
| 2011 | 691 |
| 2010 | 700 |
| 2009 | 799 |
| 2008 | 832 |
| 2007 | 926 |
| 2006 | 1,011 |
| 2005 | 1,093 |
| 2004 | 1,092 |
| 2003 | 1,125 |
| 2002 | 1,121 |
| 2001 | 1,272 |
| 2000 | 1,343 |
| 1999 | 1,471 |
| 1998 | 1,452 |
| 1997 | 1,432 |
| 1996 | 1,514 |
| 1995 | 1,600 |
| 1994 | 1,634 |
| 1993 | 1,705 |
| 1992 | 1,833 |
| 1991 | 1,984 |
| 1990 | 2,174 |
| 1989 | 2,162 |
| 1988 | 2,061 |
| 1987 | 2,045 |
| 1986 | 1,967 |
| 1985 | 1,880 |
| 1984 | 1,968 |
| 1983 | 1,866 |
| 1982 | 1,712 |
| 1981 | 1,627 |
| 1980 | 1,334 |
| 1979 | 1,256 |
| 1978 | 1,286 |
| 1977 | 1,240 |
| 1976 | 1,162 |
| 1975 | 1,126 |
| 1974 | 1,084 |
| 1973 | 1,027 |
| 1972 | 905 |
| 1971 | 935 |
| 1970 | 828 |
| 1969 | 656 |
| 1968 | 617 |
| 1967 | 594 |
| 1966 | 476 |
| 1965 | 443 |
| 1964 | 448 |
| 1963 | 412 |
| 1962 | 325 |
| 1961 | 347 |
| 1960 | 336 |
| 1959 | 359 |
| 1958 | 348 |
| 1957 | 251 |
| 1956 | 230 |
| 1955 | 175 |
| 1954 | 183 |
| 1953 | 161 |
| 1952 | 140 |
| 1951 | 124 |
| 1950 | 88 |
| 1949 | 116 |
| 1948 | 82 |
| 1947 | 93 |
| 1946 | 78 |
| 1945 | 90 |
| 1944 | 76 |
| 1943 | 82 |
| 1942 | 78 |
| 1941 | 82 |
| 1940 | 89 |
| 1939 | 66 |
| 1938 | 78 |
| 1937 | 75 |
| 1936 | 83 |
| 1935 | 90 |
| 1934 | 91 |
| 1933 | 89 |
| 1932 | 101 |
| 1931 | 97 |
| 1930 | 120 |
| 1929 | 136 |
| 1928 | 154 |
| 1927 | 147 |
| 1926 | 167 |
| 1925 | 163 |
| 1924 | 192 |
| 1923 | 178 |
| 1922 | 203 |
| 1921 | 192 |
| 1920 | 207 |
| 1919 | 247 |
| 1918 | 206 |
| 1917 | 208 |
| 1916 | 217 |
| 1915 | 204 |
| 1914 | 143 |
| 1913 | 140 |
| 1912 | 121 |
| 1911 | 45 |
| 1910 | 53 |
| 1909 | 42 |
| 1908 | 33 |
| 1907 | 54 |
| 1906 | 21 |
| 1905 | 36 |
| 1904 | 29 |
| 1903 | 34 |
| 1902 | 40 |
| 1901 | 39 |
| 1900 | 57 |
| 1899 | 39 |
| 1898 | 42 |
| 1897 | 50 |
| 1896 | 40 |
| 1895 | 33 |
| 1894 | 30 |
| 1893 | 39 |
| 1892 | 55 |
| 1891 | 44 |
| 1890 | 43 |
| 1889 | 42 |
| 1888 | 67 |
| 1887 | 31 |
| 1886 | 48 |
| 1885 | 34 |
| 1884 | 53 |
| 1883 | 37 |
| 1882 | 47 |
| 1881 | 55 |
| 1880 | 60 |