Matthew vs Muhammad
Matthew and Muhammadcompared 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Matthew was ranked #149 and Muhammad #1 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Matthew was ranked #73 and Muhammad #2 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Matthew was ranked #55 and Muhammad #35 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2023, Matthew was ranked #85 and Muhammad #36 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Matthew was ranked #42 and Muhammad #154 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, Matthew was ranked #421 and Muhammad #70 among boys in Norway.
Matthew and Muhammad over time
Matthew and Muhammad appear together in 5 published lists, across 136 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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.
Matthew reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Muhammad 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 took the other's place near the top
In Republic of Ireland · Boys, Muhammad moved into the top 50 at #35 in 2025 as Matthew fell out of it to #55, having been #42 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2009, Muhammad moved ahead of Matthew in England and Wales · Boys — #28 and #37 the year before became #38 and #36.
- Longest-running competitions
Matthew and Muhammad were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 47 years, from 1966 to 2023, ending at #421 and #70.
List by list
Norway · Boys47 shared years, 1966–2023
Matthew held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Muhammad in 47.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #267 in 1985, Muhammad #70 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Matthew #421, Muhammad #70.
Republic of Ireland · Boys33 shared years, 1992–2025
Matthew held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Muhammad in 1.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #15 in 2007, Muhammad #35 in 2025.
The order changed in 2025: Muhammad moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #42 and #45; by 2025 that had become #55 and #35.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Matthew #55, Muhammad #35.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Matthew held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Muhammad in 16.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #6 in 1996, Muhammad #1 in 2023.
The order changed in 2009: Muhammad moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #28 and #37; by 2009 that had become #38 and #36.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Matthew #149, Muhammad #1.
Northern Ireland · Boys15 shared years, 2003–2024
Matthew held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Muhammad in 0.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #2 in 2003, Muhammad #154 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Matthew #42, Muhammad #154.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys12 shared years, 2012–2023
Matthew held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Muhammad in 6.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #40 in 2012, Muhammad #36 in 2023.
The order changed in 2018: Muhammad moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #56 and #62; by 2018 that had become #70 and #44.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Matthew #85, Muhammad #36.
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 | Matthew | Muhammad |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | 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. | Praiseworthy, commendable. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Arabic |
| Pronunciation | /ˈmæθ.juː/ | /muˈħammad/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Mohammed, Mohammad, Mehmed |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #55 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #21 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Matthew is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Muhammad is recorded with a Arabic origin.
- Matthew has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Muhammad.
- Matthew's recorded meaning differs from Muhammad's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
- The available evidence gives Matthew a "medium" Data Confidence level and Muhammad a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
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
Muhammad
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #319 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 2023 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #21 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys