Mathew
Boy name · #973 in 2025 · Rare
Mathew is currently the #973 boy name in the United States — 235 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #477, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 7,660 boys born in 2025 was named Mathew.
Babies named Mathew per year. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Mathew first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 60 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1990, when 2,174 boys were named Mathew — good for #148 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Mathew against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Mathew in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Mathew is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Mathew will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Mathew is most common
Geography matters for names, and Mathew is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Mathew is most common in FL (0.3 per 1,000), CA (0.2 per 1,000), TX (0.2 per 1,000), NY (0.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.2 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Mathew is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Mathew
Statistically, parents drawn to Mathew tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Stefan, Mitchell, Drew, Alfonso, and Derick.
StefanMitchellDrewAlfonsoDerickMarkusRamonBryant
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Mathew | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 235 | #973 |
| 2024 | 246 | #936 |
| 2023 | 259 | #897 |
| 2022 | 271 | #878 |
| 2021 | 315 | #782 |
| 2020 | 352 | #711 |
| 2019 | 389 | #670 |
| 2018 | 479 | #578 |
| 2017 | 503 | #551 |
| 2016 | 565 | #523 |
| 2015 | 628 | #477 |
| 2014 | 625 | #465 |
| 2013 | 674 | #431 |
| 2012 | 656 | #427 |
| 2011 | 691 | #408 |
| 2010 | 700 | #401 |
| 2009 | 799 | #380 |
| 2008 | 833 | #368 |
| 2007 | 926 | #346 |
| 2006 | 1,011 | #316 |
| 2005 | 1,093 | #300 |
| 2004 | 1,092 | #291 |
| 2003 | 1,125 | #279 |
| 2002 | 1,121 | #273 |
| 2001 | 1,272 | #259 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Mathew a popular boy name?
Mathew ranked #973 among boys in 2025 with 235 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #477.
When was the name Mathew most popular?
Mathew peaked in 1990, when 2,174 American boys received the name (ranked #148 that year). Since 1990 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Mathew?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 7,660 newborn American boys was named Mathew. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.