Matthew vs Paul
Matthew and Paulcompared 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 Zealand · Boys
In 1998, Matthew was ranked #2 and Paul #86 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1998, Matthew was ranked #4 and Paul #86 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Matthew was ranked #42 and Paul #278 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Matthew was ranked #55 and Paul #286 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Matthew was ranked #73 and Paul #290 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Matthew was ranked #149 and Paul #586 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, Matthew was ranked #421 and Paul #478 among boys in Norway.
Matthew and Paul over time
Matthew and Paul appear together in 6 published lists, across 247 years of shared records. Matthew held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Paul in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Paul reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Matthew 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 1972, Matthew moved ahead of Paul in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #7 and #6 the year before became #4 and #6.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 41 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Matthew and Paul averaged 30.5 places apart, ending at #4 and #86.
- Longest-running competitions
Matthew and Paul were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 41 years, from 1957 to 1998, ending at #4 and #86.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Matthew #6 in 1996, Paul #72 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Matthew held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Paul in 34.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #15 in 2007, Paul #3 in 1978.
The order changed in 1998: Matthew moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #38 and #26; by 1998 that had become #21 and #34.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Matthew #55, Paul #286.
Norway · Boys47 shared years, 1966–2023
Matthew held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Paul in 46.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #267 in 1985, Paul #93 in 1968.
The order changed in 2023: Matthew moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #400 and #335; by 2023 that had become #421 and #478.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Matthew #421, Paul #478.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys41 shared years, 1957–1998
Matthew held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Paul in 15.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #1 in 1982, Paul #4 in 1966.
The order changed in 1972: Matthew moved ahead. In 1971 they stood at #7 and #6; by 1972 that had become #4 and #6.
Most recent shared year, 1998: Matthew #4, Paul #86.
New Zealand · Boys40 shared years, 1958–1998
Matthew held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Paul in 17.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #1 in 1990, Paul #3 in 1965.
The order changed in 1975: Matthew moved ahead. In 1974 they stood at #7 and #6; by 1975 that had become #7 and #8.
Most recent shared year, 1998: Matthew #2, Paul #86.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Matthew held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Paul in 0.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #6 in 1996, Paul #72 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Matthew #149, Paul #586.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Matthew held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Paul in 0.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #1 in 1997, Paul #27 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Matthew #42, Paul #278.
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 | Paul |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | From the Roman name Paulus, meaning 'small' in Latin. Saint Paul, originally named Saul, converted to Christianity and became a key missionary figure, authoring several New Testament epistles. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˈmæθ.juː/ | /ˈpɔːl/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| 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) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #286 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 95/100 |
| 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 Paul is recorded with a Latin origin.
- Matthew has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Paul.
- Matthew's recorded meaning differs from Paul'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
Paul
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #73 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1998
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New Zealand, in 1965 (recorded 1954–1998).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #286 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys