Total births
23,887
Boys' name · since 1880
Matt
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 23,887 babies named Matt, peaking in 1959. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #2789
- among boys today
- 23,887
- born since 1880
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 80%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Matt is the #2789 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 23,887 recorded since 1880.
Social Security Administration records show Matt recorded 23,887 times among boys since 1880, holding rank #2789 nationally today, ahead of 80% of boys, peaking in the 1960s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #2789 among boys today
- 23,887 born since 1880
- 1960s peak decade
- 80% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Matt is currently the #2789 boys' name in America, more common than 80% of boys - 23,887 born since 1880, peaking in the 1960s.
- #2789
- among boys today
- 23,887
- born since 1880
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 80%
- more common than other boys
Matt vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#2789
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 80% of names given to boys today.
1960s
Peak decade
34% of everyone ever named Matt was born in this single decade.
1959
Single peak year
975 babies were named Matt in 1959 - its busiest year on record.
How Matt compares
23,887 Top 5% higher than 95% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Matt's all-time total is 65x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Matt | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 23,887 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 975 | 23 | 22,252 |
Matt's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Matt's SSA record in two at 1953 and the more recent half accounts for 83% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 17%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1908, with only 19 births recorded -- set against the 1959 peak of 975, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Matt at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1959
Current rank
#2,789
Active since
1880
Matt popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1959)
- 975
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Matt popularity over time - girls
5 total births recorded since 1972 (Matt as girls' name)
Matt by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Matt's strongest decade.
8,226 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 34% of all-time use.
Matt births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 368
1880s
368 births
- 1890s 257
1890s
257 births
- 1900s 252
1900s
252 births
- 1910s 838
1910s
838 births
- 1920s 848
1920s
848 births
- 1930s 587
1930s
587 births
- 1940s 697
1940s
697 births
- 1950s
1950s
3,513 births
- 1960s
1960s
8,226 births
- 1970s
1970s
4,564 births
- 1980s 1,750
1980s
1,750 births
- 1990s 672
1990s
672 births
- 2000s 558
2000s
558 births
- 2010s 528
2010s
528 births
- 2020s 229
2020s
229 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 8,226 births (34% of all-time use).
How Matt compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Matt's total volume
Matt vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Matt by state
Where Matt concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 3,173 | 13.3% |
| #2 | Texas | | 1,665 | 7.0% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 1,152 | 4.8% |
| #4 | Ohio | | 1,110 | 4.6% |
| #5 | Michigan | | 1,051 | 4.4% |
| #6 | Indiana | | 621 | 2.6% |
| #7 | New York | | 614 | 2.6% |
| #8 | Washington | | 582 | 2.4% |
California share of Matt's total US births 13.3%
Even split
3,173 of 23,887 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 48 reporting states.
Matt appears in 48 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Matt? ▼
Since 1880, Social Security records show 23,887 babies named Matt. Today it holds rank #2789 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1959, with 975 births.
When was Matt most popular? ▼
Matt was most popular in the 1960s decade with 8,226 total births. The single peak year was 1959.
Where is Matt most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Matt are California (3,173 births), Texas (1,665 births), Illinois (1,152 births).
How long has the name Matt been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Matt since 1880 -- 146 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Matt? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Matthew, Mateo, Mathew, Matteo, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Matt's data
- Matt's decade-level peak was the 1960s (8,226 total births); usage has since declined to 229 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Matts (3,173 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Matt
Nearby Names Like Matt
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Matt
Matthew Boy
#33 1,654,075 births
Mateo Boy
#7 126,693 births
Mathew Boy
#936 77,538 births
Matteo Boy
#138 33,483 births
Matias Boy
#159 25,387 births
Compare Matt side by side: Matt vs Matthew Matt vs Mateo Matt vs Mathew
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Matt
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Matt: #2789 Boys' Name - 23,887 Births, Peak 1959." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/matt. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Matt draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.