Namewise

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 2025, Brian was ranked #573 and Matthew #153 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 218 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 England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #573 and #153.

  • 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 · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Brian held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matthew in 30.

    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, 2025: Brian #573, Matthew #153.

  • 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.

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 Brian

Pairs where Brian 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 Brian, Matthew
FieldBrianMatthew
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningThe 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.
OriginOld Irish / CelticBiblical Hebrew
Pronunciation/ˈbraɪən//ˈmæθ.juː/
Syllables12
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #252 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #55 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1977 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #573 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · 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 #153 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys