Matthew (also spelled Mathew with one t) is one of the many classic boy names that have stood the test of time. The name has been around for centuries, originating from the Hebrew word "Mattityahu," which means "gift of God."
Matthew goes all the way back to Biblical times in the first century. According to the New Testament of the Bible, Matthew, also known as Matthew the Apostle and Saint Matthew, was one of Jesus' twelve chosen apostles. Many believe Matthew was the nickname given to the apostle by Jesus himself (Matthew was also known as Levi).
These days Matthew is no longer a nickname, but a first name given to millions of boys around the world. More than 25 linguistic variations of Matthew exist. They include:
- Mateo (Spanish)
- Matheus (Portuguese)
- Matthias (various languages)
- Matteo (Italian)
- Matthaious (Greek)
- Matthäus (German)
- Matthieu (French)
- Matvei/Matvey (Russian)
Matthew is traditionally a masculine name, but that hasn
't stopped parents from naming their daughters Matthew. In the United States between 1972 and 1989, Matthew continually held a spot in the top 1,000 girl's names. If you like Matthew but prefer something more feminine, consider Mattea, from the Italian name Matteo. Or, the gender-neutral names Matty or Mattie can easily work for a boy or girl.
Though still widespread, Matthew isn
't as popular as it once was in the United States. According to data from the Social Security Administration, Matthew peaked in 1995 and 1996, when it was the second-most-popular name for boys in the United States. More recently, it's fallen to spot 30 for boys on the SSA list.
Among BabyCenter parents, Matthew is in the top 50 baby boy names. (BabyCenter
's ranking is based on data from hundreds of thousands of parents who share their baby's name with us.)
A true classic, Matthew has endured as a baby name since the Christian apostle and saint walked the earth. With a beautiful meaning and easy nicknames, it
's a safe but solid choice for modern parents, too.
