Namewise

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 2025, Matthew was ranked #153 and Scott #845 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 238 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 England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #153 and #845.

  • 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 · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Matthew held the stronger position in 30 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, 2025: Matthew #153, Scott #845.

  • 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.

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 Scott

Pairs where Scott 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 — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

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

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1990s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1990 and 1999.

The 1990s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Matthew, Scott
FieldMatthewScott
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.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.
OriginBiblical HebrewEnglish/Scottish (surname origin)
Pronunciation/ˈmæθ.juː//ˈskɑt/
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 #198 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

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

  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

Scott

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1957–1999

    Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1973 (recorded 1957–1999).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #845 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys