Christopher vs Matthew
Christopher 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 2012, Christopher was ranked #99 and Matthew #36 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2014, Christopher was ranked #94 and Matthew #42 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Christopher was ranked #239 and Matthew #42 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Christopher was ranked #121 and Matthew #55 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Christopher was ranked #127 and Matthew #73 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Christopher was ranked #204 and Matthew #149 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, Christopher was ranked #340 and Matthew #421 among boys in Norway.
Christopher and Matthew over time
Christopher and Matthew appear together in 6 published lists, across 278 years of shared records. Matthew held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Christopher 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.
Matthew reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Christopher in 2. 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 1968, Matthew moved ahead of Christopher in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #16 and #22 the year before became #15 and #14.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Christopher and Matthew averaged 58.8 places apart, ending at #204 and #149.
- Longest-running competitions
Christopher and Matthew were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 58 years, from 1957 to 2014, ending at #94 and #42.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Christopher #25 in 1996, Matthew #6 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Christopher held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Matthew in 28.
Highest recorded here: Christopher #13 in 1990, Matthew #15 in 2007.
The order changed in 1998: Matthew moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #30 and #38; by 1998 that had become #41 and #21.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Christopher #121, Matthew #55.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys58 shared years, 1957–2014
Christopher held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Matthew in 47.
Highest recorded here: Christopher #2 in 1985, Matthew #1 in 1982.
The order changed in 1968: Matthew moved ahead. In 1967 they stood at #16 and #22; by 1968 that had become #15 and #14.
Most recent shared year, 2014: Christopher #94, Matthew #42.
New Zealand · Boys54 shared years, 1958–2012
Christopher held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Matthew in 39.
Highest recorded here: Christopher #4 in 1984, Matthew #1 in 1990.
The order changed in 1973: Matthew moved ahead. In 1972 they stood at #9 and #11; by 1973 that had become #9 and #8.
Most recent shared year, 2012: Christopher #99, Matthew #36.
Norway · Boys47 shared years, 1966–2023
Christopher held the stronger position in 47 of those years, Matthew in 0.
Highest recorded here: Christopher #54 in 1987, Matthew #267 in 1985.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Christopher #340, Matthew #421.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Christopher held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matthew in 29.
Highest recorded here: Christopher #25 in 1996, Matthew #6 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Christopher #204, Matthew #149.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Christopher held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matthew in 28.
Highest recorded here: Christopher #10 in 1998, Matthew #1 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Christopher #239, 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 | Christopher | Matthew |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From Late Greek Christophoros, combining 'Christos' (Christ) with 'phero' ('to bear') — 'bearing Christ'. Associated with the legend of Saint Christopher carrying the young Jesus across a river. | 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 | Greek | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkɹɪs.tə.fəɹ/ | /ˈmæθ.juː/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 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 #121 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #55 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 65/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 58/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Christopher is recorded with a Greek origin, while Matthew is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Christopher has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Matthew.
- Christopher'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
Christopher
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #306 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2014
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1985 (recorded 1952–2014).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #311 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