Matthew (given name)

Matthew
Pronunciation /ˈmæθ.juː/
Gender Male
Origin
Word/name Hebrew language
Meaning "Gift of Yahweh"[1]
Other names
Alternative spelling Mathew
Nickname(s) Matt, Matty
Popularity see popular names

Matthew is an English language given name. It ultimately derives from the Hebrew name "מתתיהו" (Matityahu) which means "Gift of Yahweh".

Etymology

The Hebrew name "מַתִּתְיָהוּ‬" (Matityahu) was transliterated into Greek to "Ματταθίας" (Mattathias) [2]. It was subsequently shortened to Greek "Ματθαῖος" (Matthaios); this was Latinised as Matthaeus, which became Matthew in English. The popularity of the name is due to Matthew the Apostle who in Christian theology is one of the twelve apostles of Jesus and the author of the Gospel of Matthew.[3][4][5][6]

The name is also sometimes used as an anglicisation of the Irish name Mathúin, meaning bear.[7][8]

Popularity

The name Matthew became popular during the Middle Ages in Northwest Europe, and has been very common throughout the English-speaking world since the 1970s.[9] Maiú and Maidiú are Gaelic forms of the name Matthew, and were brought to Ireland by the Anglo-Normans. In 2009, Matthew was ranked 23rd most popular name in Ireland, and then 24th most popular name in 2010.[10] During 2014, it was the 17th most popular name in Ireland.[11]

In the United Kingdom, it was among the 10 most popular male names through the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, and was 9th as recently as 2001.[12] Matthew has been in the top 1,000 most popular male names in Australia, Canada and United States.

List of people

See also

References

  1. ↑ Robert Horton Gundry (1994). Matthew: A Commentary on His Handbook for a Mixed Church Under Persecution. p. 166. ISBN 9780802807359.
  2. ↑ Luk 3:25 and Luk 3:26
  3. ↑ Information on the name Matthew
  4. ↑ Information on the name Matthew (2)
  5. ↑ Gospel of Matthew (Authorship and Sources)
  6. ↑ The Lives (Matthew)
  7. ↑ Information on the name Matthew (3)
  8. ↑ Irish Names: Matthew
  9. ↑ Hanks, Patrick; Hardcastle, Kate; Hodges, Flavia (2006), A Dictionary of First Names, Oxford Paperback Reference (2nd ed.), Oxford University Press, pp. 188–189, ISBN 978-0-19-861060-1
  10. ↑ Most popular Irish male names in Ireland 2009-2010
  11. ↑ So, what were the most-popular baby names in Ireland last year?
  12. ↑ Popularity of the name
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