Namewise

Mathias vs Tobias

Mathias and Tobiascompared 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.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Mathias was ranked #41 and Tobias #15 among boys in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Mathias was ranked #507 and Tobias #116 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2021, Mathias was ranked #433 and Tobias #226 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Mathias was ranked #432 and Tobias #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Mathias and Tobias over time

Mathias and Tobias appear together in 3 published lists, across 96 years of shared records. Tobias held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Mathias 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.

Tobias reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Mathias 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

    Mathias and Tobias changed places 16 times in Norway · Boys between 1967 and 2025, ending at #41 and #15.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 56 shared years in Norway · Boys, Mathias and Tobias averaged 32.4 places apart, ending at #41 and #15.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Mathias and Tobias were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #507 and #116.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Boys within 2 years — Mathias #2 in 2004, Tobias #1 in 2005.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys56 shared years, 1967–2025

    Mathias held the stronger position in 39 of those years, Tobias in 17.

    Highest recorded here: Mathias #2 in 2004, Tobias #1 in 2005.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Mathias #41, Tobias #15.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Mathias held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Tobias in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Mathias #406 in 2024, Tobias #98 in 2018.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Mathias #507, Tobias #116.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys10 shared years, 2001–2025

    Mathias held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Tobias in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Mathias #396 in 2023, Tobias #285 in 2019.

    The order changed in 2025: Mathias moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #520 and #520; by 2025 that had become #432 and #676.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Mathias #432, Tobias #676.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Mathias

Pairs where Mathias shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Tobias

Pairs where Tobias shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

Other pairs from Norway lists

Pairs measured inside Norway's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Norway overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Mathias, Tobias
FieldMathiasTobias
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedTraditionally understood to mean 'God is good' or 'the Lord is good', from a Hebrew phrase.
OriginNot yet recordedHebrew, via Greek; used in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and German tradition
Pronunciation/tʊ.ˈbiː.as/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NOGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Boys #41 (2025)Norway · Boys #15 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Tobias has a recorded origin (Hebrew, via Greek; used in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and German tradition); Mathias does not have one recorded yet.
  • Mathias and Tobias both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Tobias; Mathias doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NO.

How each name got here

Mathias

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #307 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in Norway, in 2004 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #507 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Tobias

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1965

    First recorded at #222 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1967–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Norway, in 2005 (recorded 1967–2025).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #116 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys