Balder vs Matthew

Balder 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.

Norway · Boys
In 2023, Balder was ranked #233 and Matthew #421 among boys in Norway.

Balder and Matthew over time

Balder and Matthew appear together in 1 published list, across 20 years of shared records. Balder held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Matthew in 0.

The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Matthew reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Balder 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.

Repeatedly exchanged positions
Balder and Matthew changed places 7 times in Norway · Boys between 1992 and 2023, ending at #233 and #421.

List by list

Norway · Boys20 shared years, 1992–2023
Balder held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Matthew in 4.
Highest recorded here: Balder #193 in 2008, Matthew #330 in 1998.
The order changed in 2006: Balder moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #380 and #372; by 2006 that had become #217 and #514.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Balder #233, Matthew #421.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Matthew

Pairs where Matthew shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Matthew vs Adrian
In 1964 they stood at #59 and #65 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 6 places apart; by 2025 they were #55 and #348.
Matthew · Adrian · 62 shared years, 1964–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2025 Republic of Ireland ranking
Matthew vs Ashley
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Boys within 2 years — Matthew #1 in 1990, Ashley #53 in 1989.
Matthew · Ashley · 11 shared years, 1984–1995 · Peaked in the same years
See the 1990 New Zealand ranking
Matthew vs Barry
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Matthew #1 in 1997, Barry #90 in 1997.
Matthew · Barry · 21 shared years, 1997–2022 · Peaked in the same years
See the 1997 Northern Ireland ranking
Matthew vs Ben
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Matthew #1 in 1982, Ben #41 in 1981.
Matthew · Ben · 26 shared years, 1976–2004 · Peaked in the same years
See the 1982 New South Wales, Australia ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Balder, Matthew
Field	Balder	Matthew
Record type	Official statistical record (evidence-only)	Editorially researched profile
Gender usage	male	male
Meaning	Not yet recorded	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	Not yet recorded	Biblical Hebrew
Pronunciation	Not yet recorded	/ˈmæθ.juː/
Syllables	2	2
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Recorded regional usage	NO	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observation	Norway · Boys #210 (2025)	Republic of Ireland · Boys #55 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	88/100	82/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	40/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Matthew has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Balder does not have one recorded yet.
Balder and Matthew both have 2 syllables.
A meaning is recorded for Matthew; Balder doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in NO.

How each name got here

Balder

Popularity journey

First recorded1992
First recorded at #582 among boys in Norway in 1992 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1992–2025
Highest recorded position: #182 among boys in Norway, in 2024 (recorded 1992–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #210 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