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Matthew

Matthew is a boy's name of Hebrew and Biblical origin meaning “bear.” In 2024 it was given to 7,078 boys in the United States.

Matthew at a glance

Gender
Boy name
Origin
Biblical & Christian · English & American
Meaning
“bear”
Pronunciation
/ˈmæθjuː/

About the name Matthew

Matthew belongs to the Biblical & Christian and English & American tradition. Its meaning — “bear” — is the sense carried by its Hebrew and Biblical roots, and it is the meaning we verified against published sources for this page.

In the United States, Matthew first appears in Social Security records in 1880. It climbed to its best-ever rank of #2 in 1995, and in 2024 7,078 babies received the name — 1,646,990 in total since 1880. Those are the official counts, not estimates.

Matthew in US records

First recorded (US)
1880
Best US rank
#2 in 1995
Peak year
1983
Babies named Matthew in 2024
7,078
Total since 1880
1,646,990

Similar names

More names from the Biblical & Christian shelf:

JamesHebrew and BiblicalJohnHebrew and BiblicalMichaelHebrew and BiblicalDavidHebrew and BiblicalJosephHebrew and BiblicalThomasHebrew and BiblicalDanielHebrew and BiblicalJoshuaHebrew and Biblical

Frequently asked questions

What does the name Matthew mean?

Matthew means “bear” in its Hebrew and Biblical roots. We check every meaning against published sources before it appears here.

Is Matthew a boy or girl name?

Matthew is a boy name. In 2024, 7,078 babies received the name in the US.

What origin is the name Matthew?

Matthew comes from the Biblical & Christian and English & American tradition.

How popular is the name Matthew?

Matthew first appears in US records in 1880. Its best-ever ranking was #2 in 1995, and 7,078 babies were given the name in 2024.

How do you pronounce Matthew?

Matthew is pronounced /ˈmæθjuː/ (IPA).

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Meaning and origin for this page were checked against this source. US popularity figures are from the Social Security Administration's public baby-names data. If you spot an error, write to [email protected] — accuracy is the whole point of this site, and corrections are made fast.