Matthew

The name Matthew is the English variant of the biblical name Matthias and means 'given by JHWH (God)' or 'gift of God'. In the English-speaking world, Matthew is very common and ranks among the most frequent boys' names with nearly 1.6 million bearers.

What does the name Matthew mean?

Matthew is an English form of the Hebrew name Matthias, whose meaning is 'given by JHWH (God)' or 'gift of God'. The name is among the most popular boys' names worldwide, with about 1.6 million bearers. A less common variant is Mathew. The short form of the name is Matt. Notable personalities with this name include US actors Matthew Broderick, Matthew 'Matt' Damon, and Matthew McConaughey. International variants of Matthew or Matthias include Mathieu and Matthieu (French), Mathijs and Matthijs (Dutch), Maciej (Polish), Matej (Slavic), and Matti (Finnish).

Where does the name Matthew come from?

The first name Matthew has its origin as a variant of Matthias in the ancient Hebrew name Mattitjahu. This is composed of the elements mattath, meaning 'gift, present', and jahwe, meaning 'God'.

How do you pronounce Matthew?

The sound and pronunciation of Matthew: The name Matthew is usually pronounced in German as two syllables with a gentle rhythm, often as 'Mat-thew' [ˈmɛθjuː] or [ˈmæθjuː]. It begins with an open A or E sound, while the consonant cluster '-th-' gives the name a special tonal quality. The ending '-ew' sounds soft. Matthew conveys an international and classic impression – a name that impresses with its harmonious structure and calm strength.

When is the name day of Matthew?

The name day for Matthew is celebrated on February 24, in honor of the Apostle Matthias.

Popularity

In Germany, the first name Matthew enjoys great popularity. Currently, it ranks 891st on the list of the most common male baby names. Its best placement was in 2005 at 182nd. In the last ten years, the name has been given about 490 times, placing it 881st in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it is ranked 857th.

Nicknames & pet names

Maffoo / Maltesa / Mate / Math / Matrose / Matt / Matth / Matthie / Matti / Mattie / Matts / Matty / Matze / Mervel

Similar first names

Famous people

• Cameron Matthew Followill (Guitarist (Kings of Leon)
• Matthew Amoah (* 1980), Ghanaian football player)
• Matthew Beard (British actor)
• Matthew Bellamy (Singer and frontman of the rock band Muse)
• Matthew Beovich (Australian bishop)
• Matthew Bose (English actor)
• Matthew Broderick (US-American actor and director)
• Matthew Burton (Character from the book Boy2Girl)
• Matthew Charles Sanders (Singer of Avenged Sevenfold (M. Shadows)
• Matthew Crawley (Character from the TV series 'Downton Abbey')
• Matthew Cuthbert (Character from 'Anne of Green Gables')
• Matthew Daddario (US-American actor)
• Matthew Darrick Roberts (Guitarist of the band 3 Doors Down)
• Matthew David Lewis (English actor)
• Matthew Davis (Actor (Vampire Diaries)
• Matthew Dillon Underwood (Actor)
• Matthew Dunn (Australian swimmer)
• Matthew Fox (US-American actor)
• Matthew Garber (English actor [role of Michael Banks in the Walt Disney adaptation of Mary Poppins], *1956 – 1977)
• Matthew Goode (British actor)