Jason vs Matthew
Jason 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 Zealand · Boys
In 2004, Jason was ranked #85 and Matthew #6 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2005, Jason was ranked #91 and Matthew #10 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Jason was ranked #305 and Matthew #42 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Jason was ranked #135 and Matthew #55 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Jason was ranked #199 and Matthew #73 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Jason was ranked #197 and Matthew #149 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, Jason was ranked #463 and Matthew #421 among boys in Norway.
Jason and Matthew over time
Jason and Matthew appear together in 6 published lists, across 231 years of shared records. Matthew held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Jason 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.
Jason reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Jason and Matthew changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1966 and 2004, ending at #85 and #6.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 42 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Jason and Matthew averaged 26.0 places apart, ending at #91 and #10.
- Longest-running competitions
Jason and Matthew were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 42 years, from 1964 to 2005, ending at #91 and #10.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Jason #69 in 1996, Matthew #6 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1965–2025
Jason held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Matthew in 33.
Highest recorded here: Jason #18 in 1974, Matthew #15 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jason #135, Matthew #55.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys42 shared years, 1964–2005
Jason held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Matthew in 37.
Highest recorded here: Jason #1 in 1971, Matthew #1 in 1982.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Jason #91, Matthew #10.
New Zealand · Boys39 shared years, 1966–2004
Jason held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Matthew in 29.
Highest recorded here: Jason #1 in 1970, Matthew #1 in 1990.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2004: Jason #85, Matthew #6.
Norway · Boys32 shared years, 1969–2023
Jason held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Matthew in 22.
Highest recorded here: Jason #330 in 1972, Matthew #276 in 1990.
The order changed in 2018: Matthew moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #432 and #436; by 2018 that had become #452 and #400.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Jason #463, Matthew #421.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Jason held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matthew in 29.
Highest recorded here: Jason #69 in 1996, Matthew #6 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jason #197, Matthew #149.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Jason held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matthew in 28.
Highest recorded here: Jason #36 in 1998, Matthew #1 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jason #305, 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 | Jason | Matthew |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From Ancient Greek Iason, meaning 'healer'. In Greek mythology, Jason led the Argonauts in the quest for the Golden Fleece; the name also appears in the New Testament as a Hellenized form possibly of a Hebrew 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 | Greek | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈd͡ʒeɪ.sən/ | /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 #135 (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
- Jason is recorded with a Greek origin, while Matthew is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Jason and Matthew both have 2 syllables.
- Jason'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
Jason
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #100 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2005
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1971 (recorded 1964–2005).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #135 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · 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