Namewise

Brendan vs Matthew

Brendan 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 1991, Brendan was ranked #94 and Matthew #1 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2004, Brendan was ranked #92 and Matthew #13 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Brendan was ranked #404 and Matthew #42 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Brendan was ranked #402 and Matthew #55 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Brendan was ranked #619 and Matthew #73 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Brendan was ranked #1402 and Matthew #149 among boys in England and Wales.

Brendan and Matthew over time

Brendan and Matthew appear together in 5 published lists, across 185 years of shared records. Matthew held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Brendan 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.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 2 of the lists they share.

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 took the other's place near the top

    In Republic of Ireland · Boys, Matthew moved into the top 50 at #46 in 1991 as Brendan fell out of it to #53, having been #50 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1991, Matthew moved ahead of Brendan in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #50 and #51 the year before became #53 and #46.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 40 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Brendan and Matthew averaged 49.4 places apart, ending at #92 and #13.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Brendan and Matthew were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 40 years, from 1965 to 2004, ending at #92 and #13.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Brendan #157 in 1998, Matthew #6 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Brendan held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Matthew in 35.

    Highest recorded here: Brendan #16 in 1965, Matthew #15 in 2007.

    The order changed in 1991: Matthew moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #50 and #51; by 1991 that had become #53 and #46.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Brendan #402, Matthew #55.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys40 shared years, 1965–2004

    Brendan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matthew in 40.

    Highest recorded here: Brendan #25 in 1985, Matthew #1 in 1982.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2004: Brendan #92, Matthew #13.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Brendan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matthew in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Brendan #157 in 1998, Matthew #6 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Brendan #1402, Matthew #149.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Brendan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matthew in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Brendan #73 in 1997, Matthew #1 in 1997.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Brendan #404, Matthew #42.

  • New Zealand · Boys26 shared years, 1966–1991

    Brendan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matthew in 26.

    Highest recorded here: Brendan #53 in 1982, Matthew #1 in 1990.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 1991: Brendan #94, Matthew #1.

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 Brendan

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

Other comparisons involving Matthew

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

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — peaked in the same years.

All peaked in the same years→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Northern Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Northern Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Brendan, Matthew
FieldBrendanMatthew
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedFrom 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.
OriginNot yet recordedBiblical Hebrew
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈmæθ.juː/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #402 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #55 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Matthew has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Brendan does not have one recorded yet.
  • Brendan and Matthew both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Matthew; Brendan 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

Brendan

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #17 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #16 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #402 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

Matthew

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1957–2023

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1982 (recorded 1957–2023).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #55 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys