Jamie vs Matthew
Jamie 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.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2007, Jamie was ranked #100 and Matthew #17 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2011, Jamie was ranked #93 and Matthew #40 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Jamie was ranked #118 and Matthew #42 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Jamie was ranked #47 and Matthew #55 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Jamie was ranked #87 and Matthew #73 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Jamie was ranked #222 and Matthew #149 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, Jamie was ranked #368 and Matthew #421 among boys in Norway.
Jamie and Matthew over time
Jamie and Matthew appear together in 5 published lists, across 191 years of shared records. Matthew held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Jamie in 1.
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.
Jamie reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Matthew 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 2008, Jamie moved ahead of Matthew in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #17 and #15 the year before became #14 and #20.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Jamie and Matthew changed places 9 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1972 and 2025, ending at #47 and #55.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Jamie and Matthew averaged 30.8 places apart, ending at #222 and #149.
- Longest-running competitions
Jamie and Matthew were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 41 years, from 1965 to 2007, ending at #100 and #17.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Jamie #28 in 1996, Matthew #6 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys54 shared years, 1972–2025
Jamie held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Matthew in 22.
Highest recorded here: Jamie #10 in 2006, Matthew #15 in 2007.
The order changed in 2008: Jamie moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #17 and #15; by 2008 that had become #14 and #20.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jamie #47, Matthew #55.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys41 shared years, 1965–2007
Jamie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matthew in 41.
Highest recorded here: Jamie #28 in 1972, Matthew #1 in 1982.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2007: Jamie #100, Matthew #17.
New Zealand · Boys39 shared years, 1972–2011
Jamie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matthew in 39.
Highest recorded here: Jamie #23 in 1990, Matthew #1 in 1990.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2011: Jamie #93, Matthew #40.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Jamie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matthew in 29.
Highest recorded here: Jamie #28 in 1996, Matthew #6 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jamie #222, Matthew #149.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Jamie held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matthew in 28.
Highest recorded here: Jamie #8 in 2005, Matthew #1 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jamie #118, 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 | Jamie | Matthew |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Originally a Lowland Scots diminutive of James; used as a feminine name too since the late 19th century. | 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 | Scottish, diminutive of James | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈd͡ʒeɪ.mi/ | /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 #47 (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
- Jamie is recorded with a Scottish, diminutive of James origin, while Matthew is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Jamie and Matthew both have 2 syllables.
- Jamie'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
Jamie
Popularity journey
First recorded1965
First recorded at #91 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2005 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #378 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · 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