♡
Why parents love Matthew- The meaning gift of God is the most tender wish a parent can express.
- The apostle Matthew wrote the first Gospel.
- Two syllables with a warm, dignified sound: MATH-yoo.
- Matt is the most solid, dependable American nickname.
- It held the top 10 for 30 years — three decades of dominance.
◎
The vibe of Matthew
giftapostleGospeldependableMcConaissancewarm30-year-reignsolid
◎
Origin & history of Matthew
Hebrew מַתִּתְיָהוּ (Matityahu, gift of Yahweh)
→ Greek Matthaios
→ English Matthew
1
Hebrew roots
Matthew comes from the Hebrew Matityahu, meaning gift of Yahweh. The apostle Matthew was a tax collector (publican) called by Jesus to become one of the twelve apostles — his Gospel is the first book of the New Testament. Matthew McConaughey's career renaissance from rom-com actor to Oscar winner (Dallas Buyers Club, 2014) was dubbed the McConaissance. Matthew Perry from Friends and Matthew Broderick from Ferris Bueller's Day Off kept the name culturally visible. Matthew held the US top 10 from 1972 to 2008.
2
First recorded
Earliest known use: Biblical — the apostle Matthew, author of the first Gospel.
3
Today
Matthew remains a beloved choice, ranking #26 in the US. 1,652,565 babies have been named Matthew since 1880.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, Oxford Dictionary of First Names, SSA data
◆
How popular is Matthew?
1983
peak year
Matthew has been losing ground. Once far more common, it has been declining steadily in recent years. It currently ranks in the top fifty (#26), with about 9,354 babies named Matthew each year. Its all-time peak came in 1983, when it climbed to #3 with 50,208 registrations — the heart of the 1980s. Total registrations across all years since 1880: roughly 1,652,565.
Year-by-year registrations
1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
50,208
Babies named in peak year
(ranked #3)
(ranked #3)
9,354
Avg. per year
(last decade)
(last decade)
93,540
Total registrations
last 10 years
last 10 years
1,652,565
All-time total
(since 1880)
(since 1880)
✦
Numerology of Matthew9
Life path number
The Humanitarian
Compassion, wisdom and humanitarianism.
Matthew's Life Path 9 is the humanitarian's number — the gift given to all. People named Matthew tend to be generous, dependable, and capable of transforming from ordinary to extraordinary.
♡
Transforms into greatness✦
Generous gift◈
Dependable presence◎
Three-decade king♡
McConaissance energyM4
A1
T2
T2
H8
E5
W5
Sum: 27 → Life path 9
♡
Personality of Matthew🌍
Compassionate soul
They carry the weight of the world with grace.
🎨
Richly creative
Deep feeling translates into deep art.
🌟
Old soul wisdom
They've always seemed wiser than their years.
💝
Unconditional love
Their love is vast and forgiving.
◆
Famous people named MatthewClick any name to view their Wikipedia page.
◎
If you like Matthew, you may also love◎
Names that sound like MatthewIf you love Matthew, you might love these names with a similar sound, rhythm or feel.
♩
Names that combine with MatthewSibling pairings that share the timeless, classic energy of Matthew.
♡
Middle names for MatthewThe right middle name turns Matthew into a complete story. Explore options for first-and-middle pairings, then last-name flow.
Want a personalised middle name for Matthew? Try our dedicated generator with 1,000+ pairings.
♡ Generate middle name for Matthew →✦
Numerology life path calculatorEnter any full name and date of birth to discover the life path number — a core numerological indicator of personality, purpose and destiny.
First name
Middle name (optional)
Last name
Date of birth
7
Life path number
How we calculated this
Matthew is a beautiful choice.
Save it to your list, share it with your partner, or keep exploring.