Edward vs Mathew
Edward and Mathewcompared 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Edward was ranked #31 and Mathew #1517 among boys in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1996, Edward was ranked #93 and Mathew #85 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2000, Edward was ranked #93 and Mathew #98 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2019, Edward was ranked #107 and Mathew #418 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Edward was ranked #125 and Mathew #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Edward and Mathew over time
Edward and Mathew appear together in 5 published lists, across 156 years of shared records. Edward held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Mathew in 2.
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.
Mathew reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Edward 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 1973, Mathew moved ahead of Edward in New Zealand · Boys — #62 and #76 the year before became #69 and #64.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Edward and Mathew changed places 6 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1966 and 2000, ending at #93 and #98.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 34 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Edward and Mathew averaged 32.3 places apart, ending at #93 and #98.
- Longest-running competitions
Edward and Mathew were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 34 years, from 1966 to 2000, ending at #93 and #98.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Boys within 2 years — Edward #56 in 1984, Mathew #37 in 1985.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys57 shared years, 1964–2025
Edward held the stronger position in 57 of those years, Mathew in 0.
Highest recorded here: Edward #17 in 1965, Mathew #145 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Edward #125, Mathew #829.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys34 shared years, 1966–2000
Edward held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Mathew in 28.
Highest recorded here: Edward #68 in 1992, Mathew #29 in 1985.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2000: Edward #93, Mathew #98.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Edward held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Mathew in 0.
Highest recorded here: Edward #23 in 2016, Mathew #115 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Edward #31, Mathew #1517.
New Zealand · Boys27 shared years, 1970–1996
Edward held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Mathew in 25.
Highest recorded here: Edward #56 in 1984, Mathew #37 in 1985.
The order changed in 1973: Mathew moved ahead. In 1972 they stood at #62 and #76; by 1973 that had become #69 and #64.
Most recent shared year, 1996: Edward #93, Mathew #85.
Northern Ireland · Boys9 shared years, 1998–2019
Edward held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Mathew in 0.
Highest recorded here: Edward #107 in 2019, Mathew #190 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Edward #107, Mathew #418.
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 | Edward | Mathew |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | |
| 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, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #75 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #829 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Edward and Mathew both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Edward
Popularity journey
First recorded1950
First recorded at #324 among boys in Norway in 1950 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #17 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #75 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Mathew
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #145 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 recorded1966–2000
Highest recorded position: #29 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1985 (recorded 1966–2000).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys