Brian vs Matthew
Brian 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 1984, Brian was ranked #96 and Matthew #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1981, Brian was ranked #81 and Matthew #6 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Brian was ranked #256 and Matthew #42 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Brian was ranked #252 and Matthew #55 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Brian was ranked #535 and Matthew #73 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Brian was ranked #538 and Matthew #149 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, Brian was ranked #357 and Matthew #421 among boys in Norway.
Brian and Matthew over time
Brian and Matthew appear together in 6 published lists, across 217 years of shared records. Matthew held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Brian 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.
Brian 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 1965, Matthew moved ahead of Brian in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #30 and #31 the year before became #31 and #26.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Brian and Matthew changed places 6 times in Norway · Boys between 1966 and 2023, ending at #357 and #421.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Brian and Matthew averaged 47.3 places apart, ending at #96 and #1.
- Longest-running competitions
Brian and Matthew were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 47 years, from 1966 to 2023, ending at #357 and #421.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Brian #251 in 1996, Matthew #6 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Brian held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Matthew in 28.
Highest recorded here: Brian #7 in 1977, Matthew #15 in 2007.
The order changed in 1998: Matthew moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #24 and #38; by 1998 that had become #35 and #21.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Brian #252, Matthew #55.
Norway · Boys47 shared years, 1966–2023
Brian held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Matthew in 14.
Highest recorded here: Brian #213 in 2004, Matthew #267 in 1985.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Brian #357, Matthew #421.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Brian held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matthew in 29.
Highest recorded here: Brian #251 in 1996, Matthew #6 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Brian #538, Matthew #149.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys28 shared years, 1957–1984
Brian held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Matthew in 20.
Highest recorded here: Brian #18 in 1957, Matthew #1 in 1982.
The order changed in 1965: Matthew moved ahead. In 1964 they stood at #30 and #31; by 1965 that had become #31 and #26.
Most recent shared year, 1984: Brian #96, Matthew #1.
Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1997–2024
Brian held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matthew in 27.
Highest recorded here: Brian #75 in 1997, Matthew #1 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Brian #256, Matthew #42.
New Zealand · Boys24 shared years, 1958–1981
Brian held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Matthew in 14.
Highest recorded here: Brian #17 in 1959, Matthew #3 in 1976.
The order changed in 1968: Matthew moved ahead. In 1967 they stood at #35 and #37; by 1968 that had become #33 and #32.
Most recent shared year, 1981: Brian #81, Matthew #6.
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 | Brian | Matthew |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | The meaning is explicitly uncertain; possibly connected to Celtic concepts of 'high, hill' or 'might, power' — no single settled meaning. | 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 | Old Irish / Celtic | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈbraɪən/ | /ˈmæθ.juː/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 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 #252 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #55 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Brian is recorded with a Old Irish / Celtic origin, while Matthew is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Brian has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Matthew.
- Brian'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
Brian
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #296 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1977 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #372 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