Matthew Boy

Popularity: #33 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: MATH-yoo //ˈmæθ.juː//

Origin: Hebrew; English

Meaning: Hebrew: Gift of God; English: Derived from the Hebrew name

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Matthew originates from the Hebrew name Matityahu, meaning "gift of Yahweh" or "gift of God." This name was later adapted into Greek as Matthaios and subsequently into Latin as Matthaeus. The transition into Old French as Mathieu occurred before the name was introduced into Middle English, where it became Matthew.

This linguistic evolution reflects the name's deep roots in religious tradition, particularly within Judeo-Christian contexts. Historically, Matthew is most notably associated with one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ, traditionally believed to be the author of the Gospel of Matthew, which is one of the four canonical gospels in the New Testament.

This gospel, likely composed in the first century CE, emphasizes Jesus' role as the Messiah and contains the Sermon on the Mount, a significant teaching in Christian doctrine. The figure of Matthew has been venerated in Christian tradition, and his feast day is celebrated on September 21st.

His role as an apostle and evangelist has contributed to the name's enduring significance in Christian communities. Culturally, the name Matthew has been associated with themes of divine favor and grace, reflecting its etymological roots.

It has been a popular name among various Christian saints, further solidifying its importance in religious contexts. The name has also inspired various diminutive forms, such as Matt or Matty, which have been used in different cultures.

Overall, Matthew's historical and cultural resonance is deeply intertwined with its biblical origins and the legacy of its most famous bearer.

Famous people named Matthew

In this section, you will find notable people named Matthew. 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 Matthew who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Matthew 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.

Matthew McConaughey is an actor best known for Dallas Buyers Club, Interstellar, and The Lincoln Lawyer.

Matthew Perry is an actor best known for Friends, The Whole Nine Yards, and 17 Again.

Matthew Broderick is an actor best known for Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Producers, and WarGames.

Matthew Rhys is an actor best known for The Americans, Brothers & Sisters, and Perry Mason.

Matthew Fox is an actor best known for Lost, Party of Five, and Bone Tomahawk.

Matthew Goode is an actor best known for The Imitation Game, Watchmen, and Downton Abbey.

Matthew Lewis is an actor best known for the Harry Potter series, Me Before You, and The Rise.

Matthew Modine is an actor best known for Full Metal Jacket, Vision Quest, and Stranger Things.

Matthew Daddario is an actor best known for Shadowhunters, Delivery Man, and The Delivery Man.

Fictional characters named Matthew

The following list of fictional characters named Matthew 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.

Matthew Cuthbert is a fictional character from the novel Anne of Green Gables. He is the kind-hearted guardian of Anne Shirley who provides her with love and support throughout her childhood.

Matthew Murdock is a fictional character from the comic book series Daredevil. He is a blind lawyer by day and a vigilante by night, fighting crime in Hell's Kitchen, New York City.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Matthew, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

MarkLukeJohnJamesAndrewSimon

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Matthew. 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.

MichaelNathanMasonMatthiasMaxwellMalcolmMiloMarcus

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Matthew was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Matthew has ranked as high as #4 nationally, which occurred in 1983, and has been most popular in California, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Illinois.

In the past 5 years the name Matthew has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Matthew 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 Matthew was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Top States for Matthew (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 1,030
15%
TX 912
14%
FL 646
10%
NY 506
8%
PA 239
4%
IL 225
3%
NC 197
3%
GA 190
3%
OH 184
3%
VA 181
3%
MA 148
2%
TN 147
2%
MI 134
2%
WA 129
2%
IN 128
2%

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 Matthew.

YearBirths
20247,078
20237,221
20227,070
20217,479
20208,137
20199,270
201810,004
201711,730
201612,665
201512,783
201412,940
201313,360
201213,991
201114,179
201014,145
200916,007
200817,602
200718,753
200620,339
200521,481
200422,882
200324,010
200225,154
200126,812
200028,580
199930,418
199831,145
199731,518
199632,077
199532,879
199433,654
199335,780
199237,733
199141,647
199044,822
198945,374
198845,875
198746,507
198646,924
198547,079
198449,769
198350,208
198246,050
198143,328
198037,839
197935,625
197834,285
197731,967
197629,952
197528,530
197427,197
197324,535
197222,931
197122,542
197020,188
196917,461
196815,824
196713,568
196610,805
19659,984
19648,983
19638,034
19627,282
19617,078
19606,924
19596,544
19586,378
19575,236
19564,365
19553,279
19542,688
19532,374
19522,032
19511,605
19501,299
19491,219
19481,054
19471,045
1946892
1945730
1944765
1943822
1942842
1941727
1940664
1939622
1938608
1937605
1936608
1935654
1934610
1933581
1932702
1931608
1930657
1929727
1928784
1927790
1926777
1925840
1924850
1923935
1922982
1921914
1920967
1919879
1918963
1917862
1916825
1915798
1914613
1913491
1912380
1911220
1910197
1909147
1908152
1907124
1906136
1905107
190497
1903102
1902104
190189
1900130
1899101
1898133
1897100
1896123
1895112
1894124
1893108
1892132
1891113
189086
1889118
1888114
1887108
1886112
1885111
1884117
188386
1882109
188180
1880113