Matthew vs Samuel
Matthew and Samuelcompared 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 Samuel #39 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Matthew was ranked #42 and Samuel #64 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Matthew was ranked #99 and Samuel #50 among boys in New Zealand.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, Matthew was ranked #421 and Samuel #54 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Matthew was ranked #55 and Samuel #76 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Matthew was ranked #149 and Samuel #60 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Matthew was ranked #73 and Samuel #69 among boys in Scotland.
Matthew and Samuel over time
Matthew and Samuel appear together in 6 published lists, across 270 years of shared records. Matthew held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Samuel in 2.
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 6 of those lists, and Samuel 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 2000, Samuel moved ahead of Matthew in England and Wales · Boys — #6 and #7 the year before became #9 and #8.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Matthew and Samuel changed places 6 times in Norway · Boys between 1966 and 2023, ending at #421 and #54.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Matthew and Samuel averaged 27.4 places apart, ending at #149 and #60.
- Longest-running competitions
Matthew and Samuel were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 51 years, from 1972 to 2023, ending at #85 and #39.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Matthew held the stronger position in 62 of those years, Samuel in 0.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #15 in 2007, Samuel #33 in 2013.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Matthew #55, Samuel #76.
New Zealand · Boys53 shared years, 1967–2023
Matthew held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Samuel in 24.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #1 in 1990, Samuel #3 in 1998.
The order changed in 1999: Samuel moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #2 and #3; by 1999 that had become #4 and #3.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Matthew #99, Samuel #50.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys51 shared years, 1972–2023
Matthew held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Samuel in 20.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #1 in 1982, Samuel #10 in 2003.
The order changed in 2006: Samuel moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #10 and #11; by 2006 that had become #14 and #13.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Matthew #85, Samuel #39.
Norway · Boys47 shared years, 1966–2023
Matthew held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Samuel in 43.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #267 in 1985, Samuel #54 in 2023.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Matthew #421, Samuel #54.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Matthew held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Samuel in 25.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #6 in 1996, Samuel #6 in 2004.
The order changed in 2000: Samuel moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #6 and #7; by 2000 that had become #9 and #8.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Matthew #149, Samuel #60.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Matthew held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Samuel in 0.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #1 in 1997, Samuel #25 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Matthew #42, Samuel #64.
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 | Samuel |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Traditionally rendered as 'name of God', though also popularly interpreted as 'God has heard' — sources differ on which root is emphasised. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Samouel |
| Pronunciation | /ˈmæθ.juː/ | /ˈsæmjuːəl/ |
| 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, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #55 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #38 (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 Samuel is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek Samouel origin.
- Matthew and Samuel both have 2 syllables.
- Matthew's recorded meaning differs from Samuel'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
Samuel
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #339 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1967–2023
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New Zealand, in 1998 (recorded 1967–2023).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #38 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys