Charlie vs Matthew
Charlie 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.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Charlie was ranked #8 and Matthew #42 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Charlie was ranked #9 and Matthew #99 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2023, Charlie was ranked #10 and Matthew #85 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Charlie was ranked #13 and Matthew #55 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Charlie was ranked #17 and Matthew #149 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Charlie was ranked #19 and Matthew #73 among boys in Scotland.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, Charlie was ranked #249 and Matthew #421 among boys in Norway.
Charlie and Matthew over time
Charlie and Matthew appear together in 6 published lists, across 151 years of shared records. Charlie held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Matthew in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 6 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 6 of those lists, and Charlie in none. 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 2005, Charlie moved ahead of Matthew in England and Wales · Boys — #15 and #12 the year before became #12 and #15.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Charlie and Matthew averaged 46.7 places apart, ending at #17 and #149.
- Longest-running competitions
Charlie and Matthew were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 33 years, from 1983 to 2025, ending at #13 and #55.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys33 shared years, 1983–2025
Charlie held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Matthew in 17.
Highest recorded here: Charlie #5 in 2022, Matthew #15 in 2007.
The order changed in 2010: Charlie moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #27 and #23; by 2010 that had become #19 and #23.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charlie #13, Matthew #55.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Charlie held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Matthew in 9.
Highest recorded here: Charlie #4 in 2012, Matthew #6 in 1996.
The order changed in 2005: Charlie moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #15 and #12; by 2005 that had become #12 and #15.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Charlie #17, Matthew #149.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Charlie held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Matthew in 15.
Highest recorded here: Charlie #3 in 2013, Matthew #1 in 1997.
The order changed in 2012: Charlie moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #8 and #3; by 2012 that had become #5 and #7.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Charlie #8, Matthew #42.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys24 shared years, 2000–2023
Charlie held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Matthew in 10.
Highest recorded here: Charlie #10 in 2022, Matthew #6 in 2000.
The order changed in 2010: Charlie moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #24 and #22; by 2010 that had become #22 and #25.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Charlie #10, Matthew #85.
New Zealand · Boys20 shared years, 2003–2023
Charlie held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Matthew in 7.
Highest recorded here: Charlie #7 in 2020, Matthew #6 in 2004.
The order changed in 2010: Charlie moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #33 and #22; by 2010 that had become #26 and #34.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Charlie #9, Matthew #99.
Norway · Boys17 shared years, 1990–2023
Charlie held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Matthew in 5.
Highest recorded here: Charlie #234 in 2014, Matthew #276 in 1990.
The order changed in 2008: Charlie moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #411 and #392; by 2008 that had become #416 and #484.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Charlie #249, Matthew #421.
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 | Charlie | Matthew |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | A diminutive of Charles, ultimately interpreted as 'man' or, by an alternative theory, 'army'. | 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 | English, via Germanic Karl | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈtʃɑːli/ | /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, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #12 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #55 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 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
- Charlie is recorded with a English, via Germanic Karl origin, while Matthew is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Charlie and Matthew both have 2 syllables.
- Charlie'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
Charlie
Popularity journey
First recorded1983
First recorded at #282 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1983 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2013 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #12 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