Namewise

Harry vs Matthew

Harry 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, Harry was ranked #13 and Matthew #42 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Harry was ranked #19 and Matthew #153 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Harry was ranked #25 and Matthew #55 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Harry was ranked #31 and Matthew #73 among boys in Scotland.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2023, Harry was ranked #40 and Matthew #99 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2023, Harry was ranked #41 and Matthew #85 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 1997, Harry was ranked #410 and Matthew #582 among boys in Norway.

Harry and Matthew over time

Harry and Matthew appear together in 6 published lists, across 197 years of shared records. Matthew held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Harry in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 5 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 5 of those lists, Harry 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.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys57 shared years, 1965–2025

    Harry held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Matthew in 41.

    Highest recorded here: Harry #6 in 2018, Matthew #15 in 2007.

    The order changed in 2010: Harry moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #28 and #23; by 2010 that had become #20 and #23.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Harry #25, Matthew #55.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys31 shared years, 1992–2023

    Harry held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Matthew in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Harry #15 in 2018, Matthew #1 in 1992.

    The order changed in 2011: Harry moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #28 and #25; by 2011 that had become #31 and #34.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Harry #41, Matthew #85.

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

    Harry held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Matthew in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Harry #1 in 2011, Matthew #6 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2000: Harry moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #14 and #6; by 2000 that had become #6 and #9.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Harry #19, Matthew #153.

  • New Zealand · Boys29 shared years, 1994–2023

    Harry held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Matthew in 20.

    Highest recorded here: Harry #22 in 2018, Matthew #1 in 1994.

    The order changed in 2017: Harry moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #45 and #44; by 2017 that had become #35 and #81.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Harry #40, Matthew #99.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Harry held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Matthew in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Harry #4 in 2012, Matthew #1 in 1997.

    The order changed in 2016: Harry moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #8 and #7; by 2016 that had become #6 and #9.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Harry #13, Matthew #42.

  • Norway · Boys22 shared years, 1966–1997

    Harry held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Matthew in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Harry #195 in 1966, Matthew #273 in 1988.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1997: Harry #410, Matthew #582.

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 Harry

Pairs where Harry 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 England and Wales lists

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

England and Wales overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Harry, Matthew
FieldHarryMatthew
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningA diminutive/pet form, inheriting its meaning from Henry — 'home ruler' — and functioning, in modern times, as a nickname for both Henry and names beginning with 'Har-'. During the Middle Ages in England, Henry was generally rendered as Harry or Herry in English pronunciation.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.
OriginEnglish, medieval form/diminutive of HenryBiblical Hebrew
Pronunciation/ˈhæri//ˈmæθ.juː/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Boys #19 (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

  • Harry is recorded with a English, medieval form/diminutive of Henry origin, while Matthew is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
  • Harry and Matthew both have 2 syllables.
  • Harry'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

Harry

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #70 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 2011 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #19 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