Matthew vs Oliver
Matthew and Olivercompared 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 2023, Matthew was ranked #85 and Oliver #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Matthew was ranked #99 and Oliver #2 among boys in New Zealand.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, Matthew was ranked #421 and Oliver #2 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Matthew was ranked #149 and Oliver #3 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Matthew was ranked #73 and Oliver #7 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Matthew was ranked #42 and Oliver #10 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Matthew was ranked #55 and Oliver #18 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Matthew and Oliver over time
Matthew and Oliver appear together in 6 published lists, across 240 years of shared records. Matthew held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Oliver in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 6 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, Oliver 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2002, Oliver moved ahead of Matthew in England and Wales · Boys — #9 and #12 the year before became #12 and #10.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Matthew and Oliver changed places 11 times in Norway · Boys between 1966 and 2023, ending at #421 and #2.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Matthew and Oliver averaged 47.7 places apart, ending at #149 and #3.
- Longest-running competitions
Matthew and Oliver were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 35 years, from 1989 to 2023, ending at #85 and #1.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Matthew held the stronger position in 52 of those years, Oliver in 10.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #15 in 2007, Oliver #14 in 1975.
The order changed in 2019: Oliver moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #23 and #24; by 2019 that had become #27 and #24.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Matthew #55, Oliver #18.
Norway · Boys47 shared years, 1966–2023
Matthew held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Oliver in 29.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #267 in 1985, Oliver #1 in 2018.
The order changed in 1990: Oliver moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #317 and #434; by 1990 that had become #276 and #231.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Matthew #421, Oliver #2.
New Zealand · Boys39 shared years, 1983–2023
Matthew held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Oliver in 17.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #1 in 1990, Oliver #1 in 2013.
The order changed in 2006: Oliver moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #13 and #14; by 2006 that had become #15 and #12.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Matthew #99, Oliver #2.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys35 shared years, 1989–2023
Matthew held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Oliver in 17.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #1 in 1989, Oliver #1 in 2014.
The order changed in 2007: Oliver moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #14 and #18; by 2007 that had become #17 and #13.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Matthew #85, Oliver #1.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Matthew held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Oliver in 23.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #6 in 1996, Oliver #1 in 2009.
The order changed in 2002: Oliver moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #9 and #12; by 2002 that had become #12 and #10.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Matthew #149, Oliver #3.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Matthew held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Oliver in 11.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #1 in 1997, Oliver #3 in 2016.
The order changed in 2014: Oliver moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #7 and #10; by 2014 that had become #11 and #7.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Matthew #42, Oliver #10.
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 | Oliver |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Commonly interpreted as 'olive tree', though the true root is debated. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Old French |
| Pronunciation | /ˈmæθ.juː/ | /ˈɒlɪvər/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Ollie, Olivier, Oliviero |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #55 (2025) | United Kingdom #1 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Matthew is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Oliver is recorded with a Old French origin.
- Matthew has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Oliver.
- Matthew's recorded meaning differs from Oliver's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
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
Oliver
Popularity journey
First recorded1959
First recorded at #478 among boys in Norway in 1959 — 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 2009 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys