Jack vs Matthew
Jack 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.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Jack was ranked #2 and Matthew #55 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Jack was ranked #4 and Matthew #99 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Jack was ranked #4 and Matthew #42 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Jack was ranked #7 and Matthew #73 among boys in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2023, Jack was ranked #11 and Matthew #85 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Jack was ranked #22 and Matthew #149 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, Jack was ranked #414 and Matthew #421 among boys in Norway.
Jack and Matthew over time
Jack and Matthew appear together in 6 published lists, across 228 years of shared records. Jack held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Matthew in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 4 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, Jack in 2. 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 1998, Jack moved ahead of Matthew in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #5 and #4 the year before became #2 and #4.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Jack and Matthew changed places 16 times in Norway · Boys between 1966 and 2023, ending at #414 and #421.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Jack and Matthew averaged 44.4 places apart, ending at #22 and #149.
- Longest-running competitions
Jack and Matthew were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 38 years, from 1986 to 2023, ending at #11 and #85.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Jack #1 in 1996, Matthew #6 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys53 shared years, 1970–2025
Jack held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Matthew in 20.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2000, Matthew #15 in 2007.
The order changed in 1993: Jack moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #50 and #45; by 1993 that had become #32 and #39.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jack #2, Matthew #55.
Norway · Boys45 shared years, 1966–2023
Jack held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Matthew in 19.
Highest recorded here: Jack #245 in 1968, Matthew #267 in 1985.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Jack #414, Matthew #421.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys38 shared years, 1986–2023
Jack held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Matthew in 12.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2003, Matthew #1 in 1986.
The order changed in 1998: Jack moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #5 and #4; by 1998 that had become #2 and #4.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Jack #11, Matthew #85.
New Zealand · Boys35 shared years, 1988–2023
Jack held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Matthew in 12.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2005, Matthew #1 in 1990.
The order changed in 2000: Jack moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #5 and #4; by 2000 that had become #2 and #5.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Jack #4, Matthew #99.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Jack held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Matthew in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 1996, Matthew #6 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jack #22, Matthew #149.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Jack held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Matthew in 5.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2001, Matthew #1 in 1997.
The order changed in 2003: Jack moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #2 and #1; by 2003 that had become #1 and #2.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jack #4, Matthew #42.
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 | Jack | Matthew |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | God is gracious (via John), though now used as an independent name. | 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, historically a diminutive of John | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdʒæk/ | /ˈmæθ.juː/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Jankin | 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 #2 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #55 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Jack is recorded with a English, historically a diminutive of John origin, while Matthew is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Jack has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Matthew.
- Jack'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.
- The available evidence gives Jack a "high" Data Confidence level and Matthew a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Jack
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #171 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 1996 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #10 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