Mathew vs Steven
Mathew and Stevencompared 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 1997, Mathew was ranked #89 and Steven #77 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2000, Mathew was ranked #98 and Steven #84 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2012, Mathew was ranked #403 and Steven #273 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Mathew was ranked #1517 and Steven #800 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Mathew was ranked #829 and Steven #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Mathew and Steven over time
Mathew and Steven appear together in 5 published lists, across 156 years of shared records. Steven held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Mathew in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Steven reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Mathew 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
Mathew and Steven changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1966 and 2000, ending at #98 and #84.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 34 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Mathew and Steven averaged 17.9 places apart, ending at #98 and #84.
- Longest-running competitions
Mathew and Steven were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 34 years, from 1966 to 2000, ending at #98 and #84.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Mathew #115 in 1996, Steven #73 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys57 shared years, 1964–2025
Mathew held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Steven in 55.
Highest recorded here: Mathew #145 in 1964, Steven #57 in 1990.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Mathew #829, Steven #829.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys34 shared years, 1966–2000
Mathew held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Steven in 32.
Highest recorded here: Mathew #29 in 1985, Steven #15 in 1966.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2000: Mathew #98, Steven #84.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Mathew held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Steven in 29.
Highest recorded here: Mathew #115 in 1996, Steven #73 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Mathew #1517, Steven #800.
New Zealand · Boys28 shared years, 1970–1997
Mathew held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Steven in 27.
Highest recorded here: Mathew #37 in 1985, Steven #16 in 1970.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Mathew #89, Steven #77.
Northern Ireland · Boys8 shared years, 1998–2012
Mathew held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Steven in 8.
Highest recorded here: Mathew #190 in 1998, Steven #54 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2012: Mathew #403, Steven #273.
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 | Mathew | Steven |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #829 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #829 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Mathew and Steven both have 2 syllables.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Mathew
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #145 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1966–2000
Highest recorded position: #29 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1985 (recorded 1966–2000).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Steven
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #363 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2000
Highest recorded position: #12 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1961 (recorded 1952–2000).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys