Kevin vs Matthew
Kevin 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 1999, Kevin was ranked #94 and Matthew #4 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2001, Kevin was ranked #98 and Matthew #7 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Kevin was ranked #164 and Matthew #42 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Kevin was ranked #139 and Matthew #55 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Kevin was ranked #432 and Matthew #73 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Kevin was ranked #264 and Matthew #149 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, Kevin was ranked #149 and Matthew #421 among boys in Norway.
Kevin and Matthew over time
Kevin and Matthew appear together in 6 published lists, across 245 years of shared records. Matthew held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Kevin in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Kevin reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Matthew 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 1965, Matthew moved ahead of Kevin in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #22 and #31 the year before became #27 and #26.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 45 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Kevin and Matthew averaged 56.7 places apart, ending at #98 and #7.
- Longest-running competitions
Kevin and Matthew were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 45 years, from 1957 to 2001, ending at #98 and #7.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Kevin #141 in 1996, Matthew #6 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Kevin held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Matthew in 28.
Highest recorded here: Kevin #11 in 1987, Matthew #15 in 2007.
The order changed in 1998: Matthew moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #21 and #38; by 1998 that had become #25 and #21.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Kevin #139, Matthew #55.
Norway · Boys47 shared years, 1966–2023
Kevin held the stronger position in 45 of those years, Matthew in 2.
Highest recorded here: Kevin #44 in 2002, Matthew #267 in 1985.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Kevin #149, Matthew #421.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys45 shared years, 1957–2001
Kevin held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Matthew in 37.
Highest recorded here: Kevin #17 in 1958, Matthew #1 in 1982.
The order changed in 1965: Matthew moved ahead. In 1964 they stood at #22 and #31; by 1965 that had become #27 and #26.
Most recent shared year, 2001: Kevin #98, Matthew #7.
New Zealand · Boys35 shared years, 1958–1999
Kevin held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Matthew in 24.
Highest recorded here: Kevin #10 in 1958, Matthew #1 in 1992.
The order changed in 1969: Matthew moved ahead. In 1968 they stood at #26 and #32; by 1969 that had become #36 and #23.
Most recent shared year, 1999: Kevin #94, Matthew #4.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Kevin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matthew in 29.
Highest recorded here: Kevin #141 in 1996, Matthew #6 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kevin #264, Matthew #149.
Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1997–2024
Kevin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Matthew in 27.
Highest recorded here: Kevin #60 in 1998, Matthew #1 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kevin #164, 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 | Kevin | Matthew |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | An Anglicized form of the Irish Caoimhín, combining Old Irish 'cóem' (dear, beloved, gentle) with 'gein' (birth) — 'beloved birth'. Associated with Saint Caoimhín, who founded a monastery at Glendalough in the 6th 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 | Irish | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkɛv.ɪn/ | /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 #139 (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
- Kevin is recorded with a Irish origin, while Matthew is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Kevin and Matthew both have 2 syllables.
- Kevin'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
Kevin
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #26 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1999
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New Zealand, in 1954 (recorded 1954–1999).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #186 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