Ciaran vs Matthew
Ciaran 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, Ciaran was ranked #216 and Matthew #42 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Ciaran was ranked #372 and Matthew #55 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Ciaran was ranked #191 and Matthew #73 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Ciaran was ranked #800 and Matthew #149 among boys in England and Wales.
Ciaran and Matthew over time
Ciaran and Matthew appear together in 3 published lists, across 118 years of shared records. Matthew held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Ciaran in 1.
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.
Matthew reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Ciaran 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 2001, Matthew moved ahead of Ciaran in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #23 and #24 the year before became #25 and #22.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ciaran and Matthew changed places 5 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #372 and #55.
- Longest-running competitions
Ciaran and Matthew were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 61 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #372 and #55.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Ciaran #26 in 1998, Matthew #1 in 1997.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1964 they stood at #49 and #59 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 10 places apart; by 2025 they were #372 and #55.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1964–2025
Ciaran held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Matthew in 27.
Highest recorded here: Ciaran #23 in 2000, Matthew #15 in 2007.
The order changed in 2001: Matthew moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #23 and #24; by 2001 that had become #25 and #22.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ciaran #372, Matthew #55.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ciaran held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matthew in 29.
Highest recorded here: Ciaran #107 in 2004, Matthew #6 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ciaran #800, Matthew #149.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Ciaran held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matthew in 28.
Highest recorded here: Ciaran #26 in 1998, Matthew #1 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ciaran #216, 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 | Ciaran | Matthew |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | The unaccented catalogue spelling of Ciarán, a diminutive of Ciar ('black, dark') — borne by two 6th-century Irish saints, Ciarán the Elder (founder of Saighir) and Ciarán the Younger (founder of Clonmacnoise). | 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 | Irish, from Old Irish ciar ('dark') | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈciə.ɾˠaːnˠ/ | /ˈmæθ.juː/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Ciarán, Kieran, Kieron, Kyran | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #372 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #55 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Ciaran is recorded with a Irish, from Old Irish ciar ('dark') origin, while Matthew is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Ciaran and Matthew both have 2 syllables.
- Ciaran's recorded meaning differs from Matthew's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
- The available evidence gives Ciaran a "high" Data Confidence level and Matthew a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Ciaran
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #49 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
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #23 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2000 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #372 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · 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