Bradley vs Matthew
Bradley 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 South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2003, Bradley was ranked #76 and Matthew #11 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2005, Bradley was ranked #98 and Matthew #13 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Bradley was ranked #404 and Matthew #42 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Bradley was ranked #372 and Matthew #55 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Bradley was ranked #246 and Matthew #73 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Bradley was ranked #364 and Matthew #149 among boys in England and Wales.
Bradley and Matthew over time
Bradley and Matthew appear together in 5 published lists, across 168 years of shared records. Matthew held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Bradley 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 4 of those lists, Bradley 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 1964, Matthew moved ahead of Bradley in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #39 and #41 the year before became #41 and #31.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 47 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Bradley and Matthew averaged 25.4 places apart, ending at #76 and #11.
- Longest-running competitions
Bradley and Matthew were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 47 years, from 1957 to 2003, ending at #76 and #11.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Bradley #28 in 1997, Matthew #6 in 1996.
List by list
New South Wales, Australia · Boys47 shared years, 1957–2003
Bradley held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Matthew in 42.
Highest recorded here: Bradley #19 in 1976, Matthew #1 in 1982.
The order changed in 1964: Matthew moved ahead. In 1963 they stood at #39 and #41; by 1964 that had become #41 and #31.
Most recent shared year, 2003: Bradley #76, Matthew #11.
Republic of Ireland · Boys33 shared years, 1987–2025
Bradley held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matthew in 33.
Highest recorded here: Bradley #130 in 2015, Matthew #15 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Bradley #372, Matthew #55.
New Zealand · Boys32 shared years, 1973–2005
Bradley held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matthew in 32.
Highest recorded here: Bradley #28 in 1998, Matthew #1 in 1990.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Bradley #98, Matthew #13.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Bradley held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matthew in 29.
Highest recorded here: Bradley #28 in 1997, Matthew #6 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Bradley #364, Matthew #149.
Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1997–2024
Bradley held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matthew in 27.
Highest recorded here: Bradley #68 in 1998, Matthew #1 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Bradley #404, 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 | Bradley | 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #372 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #55 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 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
- Matthew has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Bradley does not have one recorded yet.
- Bradley and Matthew both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Matthew; Bradley doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Bradley
Popularity journey
First recorded1956
First recorded at #83 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1956 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1956–2003
Highest recorded position: #19 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1976 (recorded 1956–2003).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #372 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