Mathew vs Thomas
Mathew and Thomascompared 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 2000, Mathew was ranked #98 and Thomas #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2019, Mathew was ranked #418 and Thomas #8 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1999, Mathew was ranked #96 and Thomas #9 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Mathew was ranked #829 and Thomas #16 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Mathew was ranked #1517 and Thomas #26 among boys in England and Wales.
Mathew and Thomas over time
Mathew and Thomas appear together in 5 published lists, across 158 years of shared records. Thomas 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.
Mathew reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Thomas in none. 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.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 34 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Mathew and Thomas averaged 32.4 places apart, ending at #98 and #3.
- Longest-running competitions
Mathew and Thomas were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 34 years, from 1966 to 2000, ending at #98 and #3.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Mathew #115 in 1996, Thomas #2 in 1998.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys57 shared years, 1964–2025
Mathew held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 57.
Highest recorded here: Mathew #145 in 1964, Thomas #5 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Mathew #829, Thomas #16.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys34 shared years, 1966–2000
Mathew held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Thomas in 20.
Highest recorded here: Mathew #29 in 1985, Thomas #3 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2000: Mathew #98, Thomas #3.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Mathew held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 29.
Highest recorded here: Mathew #115 in 1996, Thomas #2 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Mathew #1517, Thomas #26.
New Zealand · Boys29 shared years, 1970–1999
Mathew held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Thomas in 26.
Highest recorded here: Mathew #37 in 1985, Thomas #8 in 1991.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1999: Mathew #96, Thomas #9.
Northern Ireland · Boys9 shared years, 1998–2019
Mathew held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 9.
Highest recorded here: Mathew #190 in 1998, Thomas #8 in 2008.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Mathew #418, Thomas #8.
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 | Thomas |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | The Greek form of the Aramaic name meaning 'twin'. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Aramaic, via Greek |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈtɑməs/ |
| 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) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #13 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Thomas has a recorded origin (Aramaic, via Greek); Mathew does not have one recorded yet.
- Mathew and Thomas both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Thomas; Mathew doesn't have one written yet.
- 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
Thomas
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #177 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Norway, in 1974 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #13 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys