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 2024, Harry was ranked #20 and Matthew #149 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 196 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.
- One took the other's place near the top
In New Zealand · Boys, Harry moved into the top 50 at #35 in 2017 as Matthew fell out of it to #81, having been #44 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2000, Harry moved ahead of Matthew in England and Wales · Boys — #14 and #6 the year before became #6 and #9.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Harry and Matthew changed places 4 times in Norway · Boys between 1966 and 1997, ending at #410 and #582.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Harry and Matthew averaged 43.6 places apart, ending at #20 and #149.
- Longest-running competitions
Harry and Matthew were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 31 years, from 1992 to 2023, ending at #41 and #85.
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 · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Harry held the stronger position in 25 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, 2024: Harry #20, Matthew #149.
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.
Side by side
| Field | Harry | Matthew |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | A 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. |
| Origin | English, medieval form/diminutive of Henry | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈhæri/ | /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, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #25 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #55 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
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
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
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 2011 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #39 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · 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