Boy Hebrew 2 syllables

Matthew

MATH-yoo /ˈmæθjuː/

"Gift of God" — a name of apostolic grace, generous spirit, and enduring faith

Matthew comes from the Hebrew Mattityahu meaning 'gift of God' or 'gift from Yahweh'. Saint Matthew was a tax collector called to be one of Jesus's twelve apostles, and his Gospel is the first book of the New Testament. The name has been consistently popular across Christian cultures for centuries — familiar, friendly, and warm. Matthew McConaughey's Oscar-winning charm defines its contemporary face; Matthew Broderick's Ferris Bueller gave it irresistible likability. Few names feel more reliably good.

Quick Facts

Letters7

SyllablesMat-thew

GenderBoy

OriginHebrew

Root WordMattityahu

MeaningGift of God; gift from Yahweh

PopularityVery Popular

Peak Year1995

Trend → Stable

Name DaySeptember 21

Nicknames MattMattyMat

About the Name Matthew

Matthew means 'gift of God' or 'gift from Yahweh', from the Hebrew Mattityahu.

Yes — Matthew was one of Jesus's twelve apostles, a former tax collector, and the author of the first Gospel.

Matt is by far the most popular nickname for Matthew — widely used and warmly familiar.

Matthew James, Matthew Alexander, Matthew Thomas, and Matthew William are all strong, classic combinations.

Matthew has been in the US top-30 for decades and remains a beloved classic, though its peak was in the 1990s.

Personality of Matthew

Perceived character traits commonly associated with people named Matthew

creativity 82%

elegance 78%

independence 80%

intelligence 85%

strength 82%

warmth 90%

Famous People Named Matthew

Saint Matthew

Apostle of Jesus and author of the first Gospel of the New Testament

Matthew McConaughey

Oscar-winning American actor known for Dallas Buyers Club and True Detective

Matthew Perry

American actor beloved for playing Chandler Bing on Friends

Middle Names for Matthew

Beautiful combinations that flow well with Matthew

Matthew James Matthew Alexander Matthew Thomas Matthew William Matthew Joseph Matthew Michael Matthew David Matthew Andrew Matthew Ryan Matthew Henry

Names Similar to Matthew

Similar Sound

Nathan

Similar Meaning

Jonathan Tobias Benjamin

Sibling Name Ideas

Christopher Nicholas Andrew Emily Ashley

History of Matthew

1st century CE

Matthew called from tax collection by Jesus; writes the first Gospel, 'The Great Commission'

Medieval era

Matthew popular throughout Christian Europe; Matthias used as a variant

1969

Matthew McConaughey born; his career will make the name synonymous with charming, intelligent masculinity

1994

Friends premieres; Matthew Perry's Chandler Bing makes Matthew one of TV's most beloved names

1995

Matthew peaks at #3 in the US — its highest modern American ranking

Numerology & Symbolism of Matthew

Destiny Number

Sum of all letters

Soul Urge

Sum of vowels

♍

Zodiac Affinity

Pisces

Lucky Number

Personal power digit

🎨

Lucky Color

Sky Blue

💎

Lucky Stone

Blue Topaz

🌸

Lucky Flower

Forget-me-not

Matthew Around the World

How Matthew is written in different languages and scripts

ماثيو

Arabic

マシュー

Japanese

Мэтью

Russian

매튜

Korean

马修

Chinese

Ματθαίος

Greek

मैथ्यू

Hindi

מַתִּתְיָהוּ

Hebrew

Looking for Name Ideas?

Explore our name inspiration guides