Namewise

Craig vs Matthew

Craig 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 1991, Craig was ranked #97 and Matthew #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1992, Craig was ranked #90 and Matthew #1 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2015, Craig was ranked #415 and Matthew #7 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2023, Craig was ranked #516 and Matthew #40 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Craig was ranked #478 and Matthew #73 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Craig was ranked #1705 and Matthew #153 among boys in England and Wales.

Craig and Matthew over time

Craig and Matthew appear together in 5 published lists, across 176 years of shared records. Matthew held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Craig in 0.

The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Craig reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Matthew 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 1970, Matthew moved ahead of Craig in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #8 and #15 the year before became #14 and #11.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Craig and Matthew changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2023, ending at #516 and #40.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 35 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Craig and Matthew averaged 29.5 places apart, ending at #97 and #1.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 35 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Matthew rose about as far as Craig fell — from #44 and #78 in 1957 to #97 and #1 in 1991.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Craig and Matthew were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1705 and #153.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Craig #81 in 1996, Matthew #6 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys59 shared years, 1964–2023

    Craig held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Matthew in 54.

    Highest recorded here: Craig #39 in 1990, Matthew #15 in 2007.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Craig #516, Matthew #40.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys35 shared years, 1957–1991

    Craig held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Matthew in 22.

    Highest recorded here: Craig #8 in 1969, Matthew #1 in 1982.

    The order changed in 1970: Matthew moved ahead. In 1969 they stood at #8 and #15; by 1970 that had become #14 and #11.

    Most recent shared year, 1991: Craig #97, Matthew #1.

  • New Zealand · Boys35 shared years, 1958–1992

    Craig held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Matthew in 19.

    Highest recorded here: Craig #6 in 1971, Matthew #1 in 1990.

    The order changed in 1974: Matthew moved ahead. In 1973 they stood at #7 and #8; by 1974 that had become #9 and #7.

    Most recent shared year, 1992: Craig #90, Matthew #1.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

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

    Highest recorded here: Craig #81 in 1996, Matthew #6 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Craig #1705, Matthew #153.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys17 shared years, 1997–2015

    Craig held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matthew in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Craig #68 in 1997, Matthew #1 in 1997.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2015: Craig #415, Matthew #7.

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 Craig

Pairs where Craig 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 — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

Pairs measured inside New Zealand's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1990s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1990 and 1999.

The 1990s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Craig, Matthew
FieldCraigMatthew
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningFrom the Scottish surname derived from Gaelic 'creag', meaning 'crag, rocks, outcrop' — originally denoting someone who lived near a crag.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.
OriginScottish Gaelic (surname origin)Biblical Hebrew
Pronunciation/ˈkɹeɪɡ//ˈmæθ.juː/
Syllables12
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Boys #1705 (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

  • Craig is recorded with a Scottish Gaelic (surname origin) origin, while Matthew is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
  • Craig has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Matthew.
  • Craig'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, NZ.

How each name got here

Craig

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1953

    First recorded at #79 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1953 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1954–1992

    Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in New Zealand, in 1971 (recorded 1954–1992).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1705 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