Matthew
Matthew is a masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning ‘gift of God’. Derived from the Hebrew name ‘Mattityahu’, it gained prominence through Saint Matthew, one of the twelve apostles and the traditional author of the first Gospel. The name carries strong biblical significance and has maintained enduring popularity across Christian cultures worldwide.
Popularity of the name Matthew in different countries
- Matthew Consistently popular in the United States, ranking in the top 20 boys' names for decades and frequently in the top 10.
- Matthew Very popular in the United Kingdom as a classic biblical name with royal connections through Prince William's full name.
- Matthew Common in Australia and Canada as a traditional yet contemporary name that feels both established and fresh.
- Matthew Well-established in Ireland as a strong biblical name with deep religious and cultural roots.
- Matthew Widely used across English-speaking countries and maintains popularity in various forms throughout Europe.
Variants and similar names to Matthew
- Mattityahu (Hebrew (original form))
- Matteo (Italian)
- Mathieu (French)
- Mateo (Spanish)
- Matt (English (diminutive))
Famous characters named Matthew
Books
- Matthew – The Bible One of the twelve apostles of Jesus and traditionally considered the author of the first Gospel in the New Testament.
- Matthew – Anne of Green Gables series Matthew Cuthbert is the shy, kind-hearted brother of Marilla who helps adopt Anne Shirley and becomes her beloved father figure.
- Matthew – The Matthew Bartholomew Chronicles Matthew Bartholomew is the physician protagonist in this series of medieval historical mystery novels set in Cambridge.
- Matthew – The Vampire Diaries Matthew is a recurring character in the supernatural romance series about vampires and mystical creatures.
Anime
- Matthew – Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade Matthew is a playable thief character known for his loyalty and information-gathering skills in the tactical RPG.
- Matthew – Western-inspired anime Occasionally appears as a name for characters with European or American backgrounds in anime series.
Movies
- Matthew – The Social Network Multiple characters named Matthew appear in this film about the founding of Facebook and its legal battles.
- Matthew – St. Matthew Passion Biblical films and passion plays frequently feature Matthew as one of Jesus' twelve apostles.
TVSeries
- Matthew – Downton Abbey Matthew Crawley is the middle-class lawyer who becomes heir to the estate and marries Lady Mary Crawley.
- Matthew – Big Little Lies Matthew is a minor character in this drama series about mothers in Monterey dealing with secrets and murder.
Videogames
- Matthew – Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade Playable thief unit who serves as a spy and information gatherer for Lord Elbert's household.
- Matthew – Stardew Valley Matthew is one of the randomly generated names for male villagers in the farming simulation game.
- Matthew – The Sims series Common randomly generated or player-created name for Sims characters across the simulation series.
- Matthew – Mass Effect: Andromeda Minor NPCs named Matthew can be encountered throughout the game's various planetary locations.
