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Name at a glance

Matthew

Matthew is a name of Hebrew origin meaning gift of God.

Ranked #32 in US baby names in 2025, peaked at #2 in 1995, declining over the past 5 years.

Matthew is a New Testament name associated with an apostle of Jesus and the Gospel that bears his name.

Browse names
OriginHebrew through Greek and Latin
GenderBoy
FeelSteady
PronunciationMATH-yoo

Is Matthew biblical?

Yes

Biblical status Direct biblical person

Matthew is a named person in Scripture, the tax collector called by Jesus in Matthew 9:9 and traditionally the author of the first Gospel.

Is Matthew a Christian name?

Yes

Christian tradition Foundational, across traditions

Matthew is established across Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican traditions as Saint Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist.

Plain answer

Matthew is a New Testament name for the apostle and first evangelist, established across Christian traditions as Saint Matthew.

Confidence High Last reviewed July 19, 2026 How this works

Meaning

The meaning of Matthew

Matthew comes through Greek and Latin from a Hebrew name related to Mattityahu, meaning gift of the LORD or gift of God. The English form became standard through Christian use of the New Testament.

Sound

How to pronounce Matthew

Phonetic
MATH-yoo
IPA
/ˈmæθjuː/

2 syllables · stress: MATH-yoo · ends in a vowel

Forms

Variants and nicknames

Alternate spellings

  • Mathew
  • Mateo
  • Matteo
  • Mattheus
  • Matthieu
  • Matvey

Short forms and nicknames

  • Matt
  • Matty
  • Mattie

Languages

Matthew in other languages

Hebrew
מַתִּתְיָהוּMattityahu
Greek
ΜατθαῖοςMatthaios
Latin
Matthaeus
Spanish
Mateo
French
Mathieu
German
Matthäus
Italian
Matteo
Russian
МатвейMatvey
Polish
Mateusz

Christian background

Christian and biblical background

Matthew appears in the New Testament as one of Jesus' disciples. Christian tradition also connects his name with the Gospel of Matthew, which has made the name one of the durable classics of Christian naming.

Scripture

The biblical figure

In the Gospels, Matthew is called from tax collecting to follow Jesus. That calling story gives the name an association with response, change, and discipleship.

Bearers

Notable people named Matthew

  • biblical

    Matthew the ApostleTax collector called by Jesus in Matthew 9 and traditionally the author of the first Gospel

  • historical

    Matthew HenryEnglish Presbyterian minister and Bible commentator, 1662 to 1714

  • historical

    Matthew ArnoldEnglish Victorian poet and cultural critic, author of Dover Beach and Culture and Anarchy, 1822 to 1888

  • historical

    Matthew BradyAmerican photographer who documented the Civil War, around 1822 to 1896

  • modern

    Matthew McConaugheyAmerican actor and Academy Award winner for Dallas Buyers Club, born 1969

  • modern

    Matthew PerryAmerican actor known for Friends, 1969 to 2023

  • modern

    Matthew RhysWelsh actor known for The Americans and Perry Mason, born 1974

Saint

Saint Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist

Traditions
Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican
Patron of
accountants, bankers, bookkeepers, tax collectors, customs officers

The patronage of financial professions comes directly from Matthew's identification as the tax collector called from his booth in Matthew 9:9. He is commemorated in both the Orthodox and Catholic traditions.

Naming history

Naming tradition and history

Matthew has been used across Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, and English-speaking Christian traditions for many centuries. In the United States it has long felt familiar, biblical, and accessible.

Recent US use

Matthew in recent US use

Rank in 2025
#32
Peak rank
#2 in 1995
Recent trend
declining over the last 5 years
Years in the SSA records
146 (since 1880)

Source: US Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880-2025.

Across cultures

Use across cultures

Matthew has been a US classic since the post-war era. In the 2010s, the Spanish form Mateo became one of the fastest-rising boys' names in the United States, reflecting both increased Hispanic naming presence and broader cross-cultural adoption of Spanish forms across English-speaking families.

Sibling fit

Sibling name suggestions

For families

For families looking at Matthew

For a Christian family, Matthew signals gift, discipleship, and a name that is recognized in nearly every church context. Matt is the natural short form.

Common questions

What does Matthew mean?

Matthew means gift of God or gift of the LORD.

Is Matthew a biblical name?

Yes. Matthew is one of the apostles and is associated with the Gospel of Matthew.

Is Matthew a Christian name?

Yes. Matthew is one of the most established Christian boy names in English.

Sources

Sources for Matthew

  • A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament, Brown, Driver, and BriggsSupports: Hebrew etymology (Mattityahu); meaning 'gift of God'.
  • Matthew, King James Version (KJV 1769)Supports: biblical figure; the tax collector called by Jesus (Matthew 9:9).
  • The Oxford Dictionary of Saints, David Hugh Farmer (5th edition)Supports: Saint Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist; patron of accountants; feast day (September 21).

Last reviewed July 19, 2026. See our methodology, or report an error on the corrections page.

Read next

Related names

SamuelBoth names share the broader Hebrew theme of God's gift and calling; Samuel ('name of God'), Matthew ('gift of YHWH').DavidMatthew's Gospel opens with 'the book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David' (Matthew 1:1); David is the genealogical and theological anchor of Matthew's account.