Mathew
Mathew was the 975th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 235 babies. Its best year was 1984, when it ranked 139th; the most babies were born in 1990 (2,174). Over the last ten years it has moved down 498 places. More babies were named Mathew in the 1980s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Matthew) gift of Yahweh · Hebrew
- Rank in 2025
- #975 boys, down 262 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 235boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 19902,174 babies
- Total since 1880
- 77,745babies recorded
What does the name Mathew mean?
Mathew is a spelling of Matthew, pronounced the same way, so it shares Matthew's meaning and origin.
Matthew comes from the Hebrew Mattityahu, 'gift of the Lord', through Greek Matthaios and Latin Matthaeus. It is the name of the apostle and evangelist credited with the first Gospel. DMNES notes that by the late Middle Ages Matthew and Matthias were treated as separate names despite their shared origin.
מַתִּתְיָהוּ (Biblical Hebrew, “Mattityahu, 'gift of the Lord'”)
How sure is this? Well established.
See also: Hebrew names, names that mean God, names that mean gift.
Mathew popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 207 since 1973.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #975 | 235 |
| 2020 | #713 | 352 |
| 2010 | #402 | 700 |
| 2000 | #252 | 1,343 |
| 1990 | #148 | 2,174 |
| 1980 | #183 | 1,334 |
| 1970 | #265 | 829 |
| 1960 | #438 | 336 |
| 1950 | #734 | 88 |
| 1940 | #633 | 89 |
| 1930 | #551 | 120 |
| 1920 | #411 | 207 |
| 1910 | #349 | 53 |
| 1900 | #272 | 57 |
| 1890 | #266 | 43 |
| 1880 | #204 | 60 |
How popular is Mathew, counting every spelling?
Mathew is a spelling of Matthew, a name family that ranked #36 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #975 for Mathew on its own. Together these spellings went to 7,238 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew | 7,003 | #32 | 35,910 |
| Mathew | 235 | #975 | 1,326 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Mathew?
235 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Mathew (0.07 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Mathew born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 36 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Mathew.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Mathew?
About 67,100 people born in the US named Mathew are alive today, with a median age of 36; half are between 26 and 45. That makes Mathew mostly worn by adults in their thirties to fifties.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Mathew by state
How common Mathew was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in California (1.9×). In 26 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Mathew: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Mathew, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Mathew
What does Mathew mean?
Mathew is a spelling of Matthew, which means “gift of Yahweh” (Hebrew origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Mathew?
Mathew was the 975th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 235 babies. Its best year was 1984, when it ranked 139th; the most babies were born in 1990 (2,174). Over the last ten years it has moved down 498 places. More babies were named Mathew in the 1980s than in any other decade.
Is Mathew a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Mathew in the US.
Where is Mathew most popular?
In 2021–2025, Mathew was most common in California (0.29 per 1,000 boys), followed by Florida and New York.