UK boy's name
Matthieu
A masculine name of French and Hebrew origin meaning "gift of God".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2020. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Matthieu is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Matthieu popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2020 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4608, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2006, with 13 births.
This profile covers 131 England and Wales registrations across 21 recorded years from 1996 to 2020. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 23% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 130 living people in the UK are called Matthieu. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2021 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Matthieu ranked #4608 for boys in England and Wales in 2020, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2006, when 13 boys were registered as Matthieu.
- • About 130 living people in the UK are estimated to have Matthieu as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4608
2020
Births in 2020
3
Latest year
Peak year
2006
13 births
Estimated living
130
2026
Meaning
What does Matthieu mean?
The name Matthieu originates from the Hebrew name Matityahu, which means "gift of God". It is the French form of the Latin name Matthaeus, which comes from the Greek Maththaios, a translation of the Hebrew Matityahu. The name can be traced back to the 1st century AD and the biblical figure Matthew the Apostle and evangelist.
The name Matthieu gained popularity in France during the Middle Ages, with early recorded examples dating back to the 12th century. It was particularly common among the French nobility and aristocracy. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Matthieu de Vendôme, a 12th-century French poet and scholar.
During the Renaissance period, the name Matthieu was associated with several notable figures, including Matthieu Plantavit de la Pause (1606-1689), a French prelate and diplomat who served as Bishop of Lodève. Another prominent bearer of the name was Matthieu Molé (1584-1656), a French magistrate and statesman who served as First President of the Parlement of Paris.
In the 17th century, the French philosopher and mathematician Matthieu Laubespine de Châteauneuf (1622-1689) made significant contributions to the development of calculus and the study of curves. Matthieu Ricard (1663-1737), a French Benedictine monk and scholar, was known for his work on the history of the Benedictine order.
In more recent times, the name Matthieu has been carried by several notable figures, including Matthieu Ricard (born 1946), a French Buddhist monk, author, and photographer. Matthieu Chedid (born 1971), better known by his stage name -M-, is a French singer-songwriter and guitarist.
These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Matthieu, a name with a rich cultural heritage and a long-standing tradition in the French-speaking world.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Matthieu over time
The chart below shows babies named Matthieu registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2020. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Matthieu, the clearest high point is 2006. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2020, compared with 13 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Matthieu by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Matthieu was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #4608 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010s | #3452 | 35 | 7 |
| 2000s | #2439 | 60 | 9 |
| 1990s | #1557 | 33 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Matthieu
- Matthew 80,931
- Mohammed 74,321
- Muhammad 72,235
- Max 59,807
- Michael 47,075
- Mason 38,935
- Mohammad 25,910
- Morgan 15,994
- Muhammed 11,527
- Mark 11,336
- Marcus 11,257
- Maxwell 10,006
FAQ
Matthieu: questions and answers
How popular is the name Matthieu in the UK right now?
In 2020, Matthieu was ranked #4608 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Matthieu most popular?
The peak year on record was 2006, with 13 babies registered as Matthieu in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Matthieu?
A masculine name of French and Hebrew origin meaning "gift of God".
How many people are called Matthieu in the UK?
A total of 131 babies have been registered as Matthieu across the 21 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.