Matthew vs Scott
Matthew and Scottcompared 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 1999, Matthew was ranked #6 and Scott #95 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2002, Matthew was ranked #11 and Scott #96 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Matthew was ranked #42 and Scott #239 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Matthew was ranked #55 and Scott #198 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Matthew was ranked #73 and Scott #199 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Matthew was ranked #149 and Scott #1025 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, Matthew was ranked #421 and Scott #348 among boys in Norway.
Matthew and Scott over time
Matthew and Scott appear together in 6 published lists, across 237 years of shared records. Matthew held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Scott in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Scott reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Matthew in 2. 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 1971, Matthew moved ahead of Scott in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #11 and #10 the year before became #7 and #9.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Matthew and Scott changed places 7 times in Norway · Boys between 1966 and 2023, ending at #421 and #348.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 43 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Matthew and Scott averaged 20.2 places apart, ending at #6 and #95.
- Longest-running competitions
Matthew and Scott were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 43 years, from 1957 to 1999, ending at #6 and #95.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Matthew #6 in 1996, Scott #48 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys56 shared years, 1970–2025
Matthew held the stronger position in 56 of those years, Scott in 0.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #15 in 2007, Scott #42 in 2004.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Matthew #55, Scott #198.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys43 shared years, 1957–1999
Matthew held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Scott in 14.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #1 in 1982, Scott #8 in 1973.
The order changed in 1971: Matthew moved ahead. In 1970 they stood at #11 and #10; by 1971 that had become #7 and #9.
Most recent shared year, 1999: Matthew #6, Scott #95.
New Zealand · Boys43 shared years, 1960–2002
Matthew held the stronger position in 43 of those years, Scott in 0.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #1 in 1990, Scott #12 in 1977.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2002: Matthew #11, Scott #96.
Norway · Boys39 shared years, 1966–2023
Matthew held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Scott in 23.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #273 in 1988, Scott #228 in 2009.
The order changed in 1995: Scott moved ahead. In 1994 they stood at #452 and #461; by 1995 that had become #460 and #352.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Matthew #421, Scott #348.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Matthew held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Scott in 0.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #6 in 1996, Scott #48 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Matthew #149, Scott #1025.
Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1997–2024
Matthew held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Scott in 0.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #1 in 1997, Scott #36 in 2004.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Matthew #42, Scott #239.
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 | Scott |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | An English/Scottish surname referring to a person from Scotland or a Scottish Gaelic speaker, from Latin 'Scoti' ('Gael, Gaelic speaker') — the ultimate origin of that Latin term is itself uncertain. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | English/Scottish (surname origin) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈmæθ.juː/ | /ˈskɑt/ |
| 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 #198 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 94/100 |
| 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 Scott is recorded with a English/Scottish (surname origin) origin.
- Matthew has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Scott.
- Matthew's recorded meaning differs from Scott'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
Scott
Popularity journey
First recorded1957
First recorded at #75 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 recorded1957–1999
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1973 (recorded 1957–1999).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #365 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys