Namewise

Matthew vs Ryan

Matthew and Ryancompared 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.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Matthew was ranked #42 and Ryan #104 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2023, Matthew was ranked #85 and Ryan #52 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Matthew was ranked #55 and Ryan #57 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2023, Matthew was ranked #99 and Ryan #57 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Matthew was ranked #73 and Ryan #104 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Matthew was ranked #153 and Ryan #135 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2023, Matthew was ranked #421 and Ryan #484 among boys in Norway.

Matthew and Ryan over time

Matthew and Ryan appear together in 6 published lists, across 248 years of shared records. Matthew held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Ryan in 1.

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 4 of those lists, and Ryan 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 2019, Ryan moved ahead of Matthew in England and Wales · Boys — #82 and #91 the year before became #99 and #95.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Matthew and Ryan changed places 8 times in Norway · Boys between 1977 and 2023, ending at #421 and #484.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Matthew and Ryan averaged 10.2 places apart, ending at #153 and #135.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Matthew and Ryan were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #153 and #135.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Matthew #6 in 1996, Ryan #7 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys55 shared years, 1971–2025

    Matthew held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Ryan in 31.

    Highest recorded here: Matthew #15 in 2007, Ryan #6 in 2008.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Matthew #55, Ryan #57.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys51 shared years, 1973–2023

    Matthew held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Ryan in 20.

    Highest recorded here: Matthew #1 in 1982, Ryan #8 in 2004.

    The order changed in 2004: Ryan moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #11 and #15; by 2004 that had become #13 and #8.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Matthew #85, Ryan #52.

  • New Zealand · Boys51 shared years, 1972–2023

    Matthew held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Ryan in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Matthew #1 in 1990, Ryan #10 in 2006.

    The order changed in 2005: Ryan moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #6 and #11; by 2005 that had become #13 and #11.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Matthew #99, Ryan #57.

  • Norway · Boys33 shared years, 1977–2023

    Matthew held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Ryan in 9.

    Highest recorded here: Matthew #267 in 1985, Ryan #249 in 2015.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Matthew #421, Ryan #484.

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

    Matthew held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Ryan in 12.

    Highest recorded here: Matthew #6 in 1996, Ryan #7 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2019: Ryan moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #82 and #91; by 2019 that had become #99 and #95.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Matthew #153, Ryan #135.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Matthew held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Ryan in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Matthew #1 in 1997, Ryan #2 in 1997.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Matthew #42, Ryan #104.

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 Matthew

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

Other comparisons involving Ryan

Pairs where Ryan 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 — peaked in the same years.

All peaked in the same years→

Other pairs from Northern Ireland lists

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

Northern Ireland 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 Matthew, Ryan
FieldMatthewRyan
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningFrom 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.The Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Riain, a patronymic from the given name Rian. The exact meaning of Rian itself remains uncertain, despite a popular but unconfirmed 'little king' gloss.
OriginBiblical HebrewIrish (surname origin)
Pronunciation/ˈmæθ.juː//ˈɹaɪ.ən/
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #55 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #57 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Matthew is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Ryan is recorded with a Irish (surname origin) origin.
  • Matthew has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Ryan.
  • Matthew's recorded meaning differs from Ryan'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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1957–2023

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1982 (recorded 1957–2023).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #153 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Ryan

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1971

    First recorded at #280 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1971 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 1997 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #5927 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls