Matteo vs Riley
Matteo and Rileycompared 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 2025, Matteo was ranked #68 and Riley #66 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Matteo was ranked #159 and Riley #80 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Matteo was ranked #234 and Riley #85 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Matteo was ranked #202 and Riley #108 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Matteo was ranked #132 and Riley #188 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Matteo and Riley over time
Matteo and Riley appear together in 3 published lists, across 60 years of shared records. Riley held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Matteo 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.
Riley reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Matteo 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2024, Matteo moved ahead of Riley in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #158 and #138 the year before became #125 and #144.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Matteo held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Riley in 29.
Highest recorded here: Matteo #159 in 2024, Riley #8 in 2012.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Matteo #159, Riley #80.
Republic of Ireland · Boys23 shared years, 2002–2025
Matteo held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Riley in 17.
Highest recorded here: Matteo #125 in 2024, Riley #101 in 2012.
The order changed in 2024: Matteo moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #158 and #138; by 2024 that had become #125 and #144.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Matteo #132, Riley #188.
Northern Ireland · Boys8 shared years, 2009–2024
Matteo held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Riley in 8.
Highest recorded here: Matteo #202 in 2024, Riley #9 in 2012.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Matteo #202, Riley #108.
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 | Matteo | Riley |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | An Irish surname (variant of Reilly) or an English surname meaning 'rye clearing' — its use as a first name is relatively modern, dating from the 1980s-90s. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Irish/English (surname origin), dual tradition |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɹaɪ.li/ | |
| 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #68 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #66 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Riley has a recorded origin (Irish/English (surname origin), dual tradition); Matteo does not have one recorded yet.
- Matteo and Riley both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Riley; Matteo doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Matteo
Popularity journey
First recorded1981
First recorded at #560 among boys in Norway in 1981 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded2024–2025
Highest recorded position: #68 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025 (recorded 2024–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #68 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Riley
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #1755 among girls in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2025
Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2008 (recorded 1996–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #91 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls