Harley vs Matthew
Harley 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, Harley was ranked #278 and Matthew #42 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Harley was ranked #509 and Matthew #55 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2017, Harley was ranked #98 and Matthew #56 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Harley was ranked #352 and Matthew #73 among boys in Scotland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Harley was ranked #91 and Matthew #99 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Harley was ranked #148 and Matthew #149 among boys in England and Wales.
Harley and Matthew over time
Harley and Matthew appear together in 4 published lists, across 82 years of shared records. Matthew held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Harley in 0.
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 3 of those lists, Harley 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 2020, Harley moved ahead of Matthew in New Zealand · Boys — #92 and #69 the year before became #89 and #100.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Harley and Matthew changed places 7 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #148 and #149.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Boys within 2 years — Harley #75 in 1989, Matthew #1 in 1991.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Harley held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Matthew in 20.
Highest recorded here: Harley #45 in 2014, Matthew #6 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Harley #148, Matthew #149.
Northern Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 2004–2024
Harley held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matthew in 21.
Highest recorded here: Harley #90 in 2017, Matthew #2 in 2004.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Harley #278, Matthew #42.
Republic of Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 1990–2025
Harley held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matthew in 21.
Highest recorded here: Harley #181 in 2014, Matthew #15 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Harley #509, Matthew #55.
New Zealand · Boys11 shared years, 1986–2023
Harley held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Matthew in 9.
Highest recorded here: Harley #75 in 1989, Matthew #1 in 1991.
The order changed in 2020: Harley moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #92 and #69; by 2020 that had become #89 and #100.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Harley #91, Matthew #99.
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 | Harley | Matthew |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | Used for both boys and girls | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | 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 | Not yet recorded | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /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, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Girls #443 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #55 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Matthew has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Harley does not have one recorded yet.
- Harley and Matthew both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Matthew; Harley doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Harley
Popularity journey
First recorded1986
First recorded at #94 among boys in New Zealand in 1986 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #45 among boys in England and Wales, in 2014 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #443 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
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