Total births
1,605
Boys' name · since 1882
Matthews
Matthews has 1,605 recorded births since 1882 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1988 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #4580
- among boys today
- 1,605
- born since 1882
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 68%
- more common than other boys
Matthews currently ranks #4580 among boys' names in America, with 1,605 babies recorded since 1882.
Social Security Administration records show Matthews recorded 1,605 times among boys since 1882, holding rank #4580 nationally today, ahead of 68% of boys, peaking in the 1980s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1882 to 2025.
- #4580 among boys today
- 1,605 born since 1882
- 1980s peak decade
- 68% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Matthews is currently the #4580 boys' name in America, more common than 68% of boys - 1,605 born since 1882, peaking in the 1980s.
- #4580
- among boys today
- 1,605
- born since 1882
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 68%
- more common than other boys
Matthews vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#4580
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 68% of names given to boys today.
1980s
Peak decade
17% of everyone ever named Matthews was born in this single decade.
1988
Single peak year
41 babies were named Matthews in 1988 - its busiest year on record.
How Matthews compares
1,605 Top 24% higher than 76% 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
Matthews's all-time total is 4x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Matthews | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,605 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 41 | 23 | 22,252 |
Matthews's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Matthews splits its recorded history at 1966: 62% of all births land in the more recent half, 38% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1882 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1988 peak of 41 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Matthews at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1988
Current rank
#4,580
Active since
1882
Matthews popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1882–2025
- Peak year (1988)
- 41
- Annual births at peak, across 144 years of records
Matthews by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Matthews's strongest decade.
269 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 17% of all-time use.
Matthews births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 5
1880s
5 births
- 1890s 5
1890s
5 births
- 1900s 16
1900s
16 births
- 1910s 89
1910s
89 births
- 1920s
1920s
126 births
- 1930s 82
1930s
82 births
- 1940s 104
1940s
104 births
- 1950s
1950s
121 births
- 1960s
1960s
120 births
- 1970s
1970s
141 births
- 1980s
1980s
269 births
- 1990s
1990s
176 births
- 2000s
2000s
175 births
- 2010s 97
2010s
97 births
- 2020s 79
2020s
79 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 269 births (17% of all-time use).
How Matthews 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 Matthews's total volume
Matthews vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Matthews by state
Where Matthews concentrates geographically, total births since 1882
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Louisiana | | 59 | 3.7% |
| #2 | California | | 10 | 0.6% |
| #3 | New York | | 10 | 0.6% |
| #4 | South Carolina | | 10 | 0.6% |
| #5 | Georgia | | 7 | 0.4% |
| #6 | Massachusetts | | 6 | 0.4% |
| #7 | North Carolina | | 6 | 0.4% |
| #8 | Texas | | 5 | 0.3% |
Louisiana share of Matthews's total US births 3.7%
Even split
59 of 1,605 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 8 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Matthews? ▼
Matthews has been given to 1,605 babies in the U.S. since 1882, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #4580 as of the latest data. 41 babies were born in 1988, its single highest year.
When was Matthews most popular? ▼
Matthews was most popular in the 1980s decade with 269 total births. The single peak year was 1988.
Where is Matthews most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Matthews are Louisiana (59 births), California (10 births), New York (10 births).
How long has the name Matthews been used? ▼
Matthews has been recorded in Social Security data since 1882, spanning 144 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Matthews? ▼
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 Matthews's data
- Matthews's decade-level peak was the 1980s (269 total births); usage has since declined to 79 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Louisiana records the most Matthewss (59 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Louisiana 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 Matthews
Nearby Names Like Matthews
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Matthews
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 Matthews side by side: Matthews vs Matthew Matthews vs Mateo Matthews vs Mathew
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Matthews
Gardner #4579
3,016 births · Peak 1915
Odell #4581
14,883 births · Peak 1922
Soloman #4578
1,679 births · Peak 1999
Rosendo #4582
5,422 births · Peak 1993
Arlington #4577
1,586 births · Peak 1917
Lovell #4583
3,412 births · Peak 1916
Sid #4576
3,007 births · Peak 1960
Harlin #4584
1,879 births · Peak 1924
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, 1882–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Matthews: #4580 Boys' Name - 1,605 Births, Peak 1988." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/matthews. 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 Matthews 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.