Anthony vs Matthew
Anthony 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.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2005, Anthony was ranked #75 and Matthew #13 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #202 and Matthew #42 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Anthony was ranked #135 and Matthew #55 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #152 and Matthew #73 among boys in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2021, Anthony was ranked #99 and Matthew #86 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #216 and Matthew #149 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, Anthony was ranked #406 and Matthew #421 among boys in Norway.
Anthony and Matthew over time
Anthony and Matthew appear together in 6 published lists, across 274 years of shared records. Matthew held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Anthony in 0.
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.
Anthony reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Matthew in 1. 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 1971, Matthew moved ahead of Anthony in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #9 and #11 the year before became #13 and #7.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Anthony and Matthew changed places 15 times in Norway · Boys between 1966 and 2023, ending at #406 and #421.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 64 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Anthony and Matthew averaged 27.2 places apart, ending at #99 and #86.
- Longest-running competitions
Anthony and Matthew were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 64 years, from 1957 to 2021, ending at #99 and #86.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Anthony #65 in 1996, Matthew #6 in 1996.
List by list
New South Wales, Australia · Boys64 shared years, 1957–2021
Anthony held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Matthew in 50.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #8 in 1968, Matthew #1 in 1982.
The order changed in 1971: Matthew moved ahead. In 1970 they stood at #9 and #11; by 1971 that had become #13 and #7.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Anthony #99, Matthew #86.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Anthony held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Matthew in 31.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #12 in 1964, Matthew #15 in 2007.
The order changed in 1995: Matthew moved ahead. In 1994 they stood at #39 and #47; by 1995 that had become #47 and #43.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anthony #135, Matthew #55.
New Zealand · Boys48 shared years, 1958–2005
Anthony held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Matthew in 36.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #11 in 1959, Matthew #1 in 1990.
The order changed in 1970: Matthew moved ahead. In 1969 they stood at #16 and #23; by 1970 that had become #19 and #17.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Anthony #75, Matthew #13.
Norway · Boys43 shared years, 1966–2023
Anthony held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Matthew in 23.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #320 in 2000, Matthew #267 in 1985.
The order changed in 2012: Anthony moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #492 and #453; by 2012 that had become #463 and #554.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Anthony #406, Matthew #421.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anthony held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matthew in 29.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #65 in 1996, Matthew #6 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anthony #216, Matthew #149.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Anthony held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matthew in 28.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #70 in 1997, Matthew #1 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anthony #202, 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 | Anthony | Matthew |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | The English form of the Roman family name Antonius, of unknown Etruscan origin. Later incorrectly associated with Greek 'anthos' ('flower'), which led to the addition of the 'h' to this spelling in the 17th century. | 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 | Etruscan (unknown origin) | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈæn.θə.ni/ | /ˈmæθ.juː/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 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 #135 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #55 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Anthony is recorded with a Etruscan (unknown origin) origin, while Matthew is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Anthony has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Matthew.
- Anthony'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
Anthony
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #355 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2021
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1968 (recorded 1952–2021).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #451 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · 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