Declining since 1985, #3,757 for boys today.
Popularity of Matt since 1880
Babies named Matt per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1959, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Matt's real moment was 1884.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 368 |
| 1890s | 257 |
| 1900s | 252 |
| 1910s | 838 |
| 1920s | 848 |
| 1930s | 587 |
| 1940s | 697 |
| 1950s | 3,513 |
| 1960s | 8,226 |
| 1970s | 4,564 |
| 1980s | 1,750 |
| 1990s | 672 |
| 2000s | 558 |
| 2010s | 528 |
| 2020s | 229 |
Meaning & origin
Matt has been in use as an independent name since at least 1880, the earliest year in the Social Security Administration data. The name reached its peak popularity in 1884, when it ranked highest among years. After a period of steady use through the early 20th century, Matt began a decline in popularity starting around 1985, a trend that has continued to the present. In 2025, it ranked 3,757th, occurring in about 1 in every 58,899 births. The name has seen some concentration in California among recent top states. As a short form of Matthew, Matt carries a long biblical tradition but has become less common as a standalone given name.
Matt is a short form of Matthew, which derives from the Hebrew name Mattityahu, meaning 'gift of God.' The name Matthew appears in the New Testament as one of the twelve apostles and the author of the first Gospel. The nickname Matt has been in use as an independent given name since at least the 19th century.
Where Matt is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Matt” around the world
Where Matt lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
50
babies in 2024
Ireland
4
babies in 2025
Quebec
10
babies in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · CSO Ireland (Ireland) · Retraite Québec (Quebec).
Sibling names for Matt
Names that share Matt's style, for a brother or sister.
