Total births
1,654,075
Boys' name · since 1880
Matthew
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 1,654,075 babies named Matthew, peaking in 1983. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #33
- among boys today
- 1,654,075
- born since 1880
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 99.8%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Matthew is the #33 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 1,654,075 recorded since 1880.
Matthew has 1,654,075 recorded births among boys since 1880, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #33 as of the latest data, more common than 99.8% of boys, busiest in the 1980s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #33 among boys today
- 1,654,075 born since 1880
- 1980s peak decade
- 99.8% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Matthew is currently the #33 boys' name in America, more common than 99.8% of boys - 1,654,075 born since 1880, peaking in the 1980s.
- #33
- among boys today
- 1,654,075
- born since 1880
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 99.8%
- more common than other boys
Matthew vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#33
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 99.8% of names given to boys today.
1980s
Peak decade
28% of everyone ever named Matthew was born in this single decade.
1983
Single peak year
50,209 babies were named Matthew in 1983 - its busiest year on record.
How Matthew compares
1,654,075 Top 0% higher than 100% 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
Matthew's all-time total is 4,507x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Matthew | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,654,075 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 50,209 | 23 | 22,252 |
Matthew's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Matthew's SSA record in two at 1953 and the more recent half accounts for 98% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 2%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1881, with only 80 births recorded -- set against the 1983 peak of 50,209, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Matthew at a glance
Top 100 boys' namePeak year
1983
Current rank
#33
Active since
1880
Matthew popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1983)
- 50,209
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Matthew popularity over time - girls
5,580 total births recorded since 1911 (Matthew as girls' name)
Matthew by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Matthew's strongest decade.
458,951 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 28% of all-time use.
Matthew births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 1,068
1880s
1,068 births
- 1890s 1,132
1890s
1,132 births
- 1900s 1,188
1900s
1,188 births
- 1910s 6,228
1910s
6,228 births
- 1920s 8,566
1920s
8,566 births
- 1930s 6,255
1930s
6,255 births
- 1940s 8,760
1940s
8,760 births
- 1950s 35,796
1950s
35,796 births
- 1960s 105,938
1960s
105,938 births
- 1970s
1970s
277,727 births
- 1980s
1980s
458,951 births
- 1990s
1990s
351,682 births
- 2000s
2000s
221,631 births
- 2010s 125,101
2010s
125,101 births
- 2020s 44,052
2020s
44,052 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 458,951 births (28% of all-time use).
How Matthew 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 Matthew's total volume
Matthew vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Matthew by state
Where Matthew concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 181,793 | 11.0% |
| #2 | New York | | 135,084 | 8.2% |
| #3 | Texas | | 102,270 | 6.2% |
| #4 | Pennsylvania | | 94,257 | 5.7% |
| #5 | Ohio | | 83,229 | 5.0% |
| #6 | Illinois | | 81,953 | 5.0% |
| #7 | Michigan | | 69,138 | 4.2% |
| #8 | Florida | | 66,270 | 4.0% |
California share of Matthew's total US births 11.0%
Even split
181,793 of 1,654,075 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Matthew appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Matthew? ▼
Since 1880, Social Security records show 1,654,075 babies named Matthew. Today it holds rank #33 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1983, with 50,209 births.
When was Matthew most popular? ▼
Matthew was most popular in the 1980s decade with 458,951 total births. The single peak year was 1983.
Where is Matthew most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Matthew are California (181,793 births), New York (135,084 births), Texas (102,270 births).
How long has the name Matthew been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Matthew since 1880 -- 146 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Matthew? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Mateo, Mathew, Matteo, Matias, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Matthew's data
- Matthew's decade-level peak was the 1980s (458,951 total births); usage has since declined to 44,052 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Matthews (181,793 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 Matthew
Nearby Names Like Matthew
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Matthew
Mateo Boy
#7 126,693 births
Mathew Boy
#936 77,538 births
Matteo Boy
#138 33,483 births
Matias Boy
#159 25,387 births
Matt Boy
#2789 23,887 births
Compare Matthew side by side: Matthew vs Mateo Matthew vs Mathew Matthew vs Matteo
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Matthew
Joseph #32
2,669,490 births · Peak 1956
Luke #34
323,020 births · Peak 2014
David #31
3,676,654 births · Peak 1955
Jackson #35
297,220 births · Peak 2013
Julian #30
264,985 births · Peak 2017
Maverick #36
70,604 births · Peak 2022
Santiago #29
103,828 births · Peak 2025
Miles #37
122,868 births · Peak 2024
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. "Matthew: #33 Boys' Name - 1,654,075 Births, Peak 1983." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/matthew. 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 Matthew 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.