Andrew vs Matthew
Andrew and Matthewcompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Andrew was ranked #216 and Matthew #42 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2016, Andrew was ranked #89 and Matthew #53 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2013, Andrew was ranked #75 and Matthew #53 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Andrew was ranked #106 and Matthew #55 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Andrew was ranked #104 and Matthew #73 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Andrew was ranked #315 and Matthew #149 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2014, Andrew was ranked #518 and Matthew #389 among boys in Norway.
Andrew and Matthew over time
Andrew and Matthew appear together in 6 published lists, across 268 years of shared records. Matthew held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Andrew in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Andrew reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Matthew in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1981, Matthew moved ahead of Andrew in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #4 and #5 the year before became #5 and #4.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Andrew and Matthew changed places 13 times in Norway · Boys between 1966 and 2014, ending at #518 and #389.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 58 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Andrew and Matthew averaged 18.4 places apart, ending at #89 and #53.
- Longest-running competitions
Andrew and Matthew were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 58 years, from 1957 to 2016, ending at #89 and #53.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Andrew #29 in 1996, Matthew #6 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Andrew held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Matthew in 28.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #16 in 1992, Matthew #15 in 2007.
The order changed in 1998: Matthew moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #23 and #38; by 1998 that had become #23 and #21.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Andrew #106, Matthew #55.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys58 shared years, 1957–2016
Andrew held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Matthew in 42.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #4 in 1970, Matthew #1 in 1982.
The order changed in 1981: Matthew moved ahead. In 1980 they stood at #4 and #5; by 1981 that had become #5 and #4.
Most recent shared year, 2016: Andrew #89, Matthew #53.
New Zealand · Boys54 shared years, 1958–2013
Andrew held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Matthew in 30.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #2 in 1975, Matthew #1 in 1990.
The order changed in 1983: Matthew moved ahead. In 1982 they stood at #4 and #6; by 1983 that had become #6 and #2.
Most recent shared year, 2013: Andrew #75, Matthew #53.
Norway · Boys37 shared years, 1966–2014
Andrew held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Matthew in 17.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #241 in 1966, Matthew #267 in 1985.
The order changed in 2014: Matthew moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #405 and #554; by 2014 that had become #518 and #389.
Most recent shared year, 2014: Andrew #518, Matthew #389.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Andrew held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matthew in 29.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #29 in 1996, Matthew #6 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Andrew #315, Matthew #149.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Andrew held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matthew in 28.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #5 in 1997, Matthew #1 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Andrew #216, Matthew #42.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Andrew | Matthew |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | The English form of Greek Andreas, from 'andreios' ('manly, masculine'), itself from 'aner' ('man'). The apostle Andrew was the first disciple to join Jesus and is patron saint of Scotland. | From Greek Matthaios, from Hebrew Mattithiah, combining 'mattat' (gift) with 'Yahweh' — 'gift of God'. Matthew was a tax collector and one of the twelve apostles, traditionally credited as author of the first Gospel. |
| Origin | Greek, biblical | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈæn.dɹuː/ | /ˈmæθ.juː/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #106 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #55 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Andrew is recorded with a Greek, biblical origin, while Matthew is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Andrew and Matthew both have 2 syllables.
- Andrew's recorded meaning differs from Matthew's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Andrew
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #344 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–2013
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in New Zealand, in 1975 (recorded 1954–2013).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #106 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Matthew
Popularity journey
First recorded1957
First recorded at #78 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1957 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1957–2023
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1982 (recorded 1957–2023).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #55 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys