Benjamin vs Matthew
Benjamin 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, Benjamin was ranked #29 and Matthew #421 among boys in Norway.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Benjamin was ranked #39 and Matthew #99 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Benjamin was ranked #76 and Matthew #42 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2023, Benjamin was ranked #43 and Matthew #85 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Benjamin was ranked #83 and Matthew #55 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Benjamin was ranked #61 and Matthew #149 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Benjamin was ranked #78 and Matthew #73 among boys in Scotland.
Benjamin and Matthew over time
Benjamin and Matthew appear together in 6 published lists, across 274 years of shared records. Matthew held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Benjamin in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 3 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 5 of those lists, Benjamin 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 2002, Benjamin moved ahead of Matthew in England and Wales · Boys — #14 and #9 the year before became #6 and #12.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Benjamin and Matthew averaged 27.0 places apart, ending at #61 and #149.
- Longest-running competitions
Benjamin and Matthew were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 57 years, from 1965 to 2023, ending at #43 and #85.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Benjamin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matthew in 62.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #50 in 2020, Matthew #15 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Benjamin #83, Matthew #55.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys57 shared years, 1965–2023
Benjamin held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Matthew in 37.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #5 in 1977, Matthew #1 in 1982.
The order changed in 2006: Benjamin moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #14 and #10; by 2006 that had become #11 and #14.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Benjamin #43, Matthew #85.
New Zealand · Boys53 shared years, 1970–2023
Benjamin held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Matthew in 31.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #3 in 2003, Matthew #1 in 1990.
The order changed in 2001: Benjamin moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #10 and #5; by 2001 that had become #5 and #9.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Benjamin #39, Matthew #99.
Norway · Boys45 shared years, 1969–2023
Benjamin held the stronger position in 44 of those years, Matthew in 1.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #16 in 2006, Matthew #267 in 1985.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Benjamin #29, Matthew #421.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Benjamin held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Matthew in 6.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #6 in 2002, Matthew #6 in 1996.
The order changed in 2002: Benjamin moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #14 and #9; by 2002 that had become #6 and #12.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Benjamin #61, Matthew #149.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Benjamin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matthew in 28.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #22 in 2002, Matthew #1 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Benjamin #76, 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 | Benjamin | Matthew |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'son of the right hand', with the underlying literal sense being 'son of the south' (since 'right' indicated the southerly direction in the biblical east-facing orientation convention). | 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 | Biblical Hebrew | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɛndʒəmɪn/ | /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 | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #46 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #55 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Both Benjamin and Matthew share a recorded Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Benjamin has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Matthew.
- Benjamin'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
Benjamin
Popularity journey
First recorded1950
First recorded at #345 among boys in Norway in 1950 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1970–2023
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New Zealand, in 2003 (recorded 1970–2023).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #46 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · 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