Matthew vs Sean
Matthew and Seancompared 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 2007, Matthew was ranked #17 and Sean #85 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2007, Matthew was ranked #19 and Sean #83 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Matthew was ranked #42 and Sean #48 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Matthew was ranked #55 and Sean #141 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Matthew was ranked #73 and Sean #234 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Matthew was ranked #149 and Sean #638 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2018, Matthew was ranked #400 and Sean #531 among boys in Norway.
Matthew and Sean over time
Matthew and Sean appear together in 6 published lists, across 245 years of shared records. Matthew held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Sean in 2.
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.
Matthew reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Sean 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 took the other's place near the top
In Republic of Ireland · Boys, Matthew moved into the top 50 at #23 in 2018 as Sean fell out of it to #74, having been #5 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2018, Matthew moved ahead of Sean in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #26 and #5 the year before became #23 and #74.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 44 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Matthew and Sean averaged 47.0 places apart, ending at #17 and #85.
- Longest-running competitions
Matthew and Sean were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 44 years, from 1963 to 2007, ending at #17 and #85.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Matthew #6 in 1996, Sean #49 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Matthew held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Sean in 54.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #15 in 2007, Sean #1 in 1997.
The order changed in 2018: Matthew moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #26 and #5; by 2018 that had become #23 and #74.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Matthew #55, Sean #141.
New Zealand · Boys45 shared years, 1963–2007
Matthew held the stronger position in 45 of those years, Sean in 0.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #1 in 1990, Sean #28 in 1995.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2007: Matthew #19, Sean #83.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys44 shared years, 1963–2007
Matthew held the stronger position in 44 of those years, Sean in 0.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #1 in 1982, Sean #29 in 1967.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2007: Matthew #17, Sean #85.
Norway · Boys37 shared years, 1968–2018
Matthew held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Sean in 22.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #267 in 1985, Sean #185 in 2007.
The order changed in 2018: Matthew moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #436 and #327; by 2018 that had become #400 and #531.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Matthew #400, Sean #531.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Matthew held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Sean in 0.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #6 in 1996, Sean #49 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Matthew #149, Sean #638.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Matthew held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Sean in 1.
Highest recorded here: Matthew #1 in 1997, Sean #13 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Matthew #42, Sean #48.
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 | Sean |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | The Irish form of John, ultimately carrying the meaning 'Yahweh is gracious' via its Hebrew ancestry. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Irish, Anglicised form of Sean, via Hebrew John |
| Pronunciation | /ˈmæθ.juː/ | /ʃɔːn/ |
| 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 #141 (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 Sean is recorded with a Irish, Anglicised form of Sean, via Hebrew John origin.
- Matthew has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Sean.
- Matthew's recorded meaning differs from Sean'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
Sean
Popularity journey
First recorded1963
First recorded at #82 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1963 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1997 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #141 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys