Matthew
Matthew is a boy's name of Hebrew origin.
Meaning
Gift of God.
Origin and history
Matthew is derived from the Hebrew name Mattanyahu, meaning 'gift of Yahweh' or 'gift of God'. It gained widespread usage through the New Testament Apostle and Gospel writer Saint Matthew. In the United States, it has been a consistently classic and popular choice for boys across multiple generations.
Popularity in the United States
1,654,075 babies in the United States have been named Matthew since 1880. It ranks #13 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #35.
States where it is most popular
- CA (11 %)
- NY (8.2 %)
- TX (6.2 %)
- PA (5.7 %)
- OH (5 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 1,068 |
| 1890-1900 | 1,132 |
| 1900-1910 | 1,188 |
| 1910-1920 | 6,228 |
| 1920-1930 | 8,566 |
| 1930-1940 | 6,255 |
| 1940-1950 | 8,760 |
| 1950-1960 | 35,796 |
| 1960-1970 | 105,938 |
| 1970-1980 | 277,727 |
| 1980-1990 | 458,951 |
| 1990-2000 | 351,682 |
| 2000-2010 | 221,631 |
| 2010-2019 | 125,101 |
| 2020-2029 | 44,052 |
Famous people named Matthew
- Matthew McConaughey: actor, producer
- Matthew Perry: actor
- Matthew Broderick: actor, singer
Nicknames
Matt, Matty
Fun facts
- The name comes from the Hebrew Mattanyahu, which translates directly to 'gift of God'.
- Matthew was the second most popular boy name in the United States for several years during the late 1980s and 1990s.