Matthew

Name: Matthew, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/ˈmæθjuː/

//ˈmæθjuː// name

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“Matthew” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #3,827 in English word frequency and used as a proper noun.

#3,827
frequency rank, English: 7
letters: 9
tracked misspellings: 8
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A male given name from Hebrew of biblical origin.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

Matthew vs Mattie

71% similar

Matthew vs Mayhew

71% similar

Matthew vs Matthews

88% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for Matthew
Property	Value
Headword	Matthew
Language	English
Part of speech	Proper noun
IPA	/ˈmæθjuː/
Letters	7
Frequency rank	#3,827
Misspellings tracked	9
Confusable pairs	8
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “Matthew” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). Matthew lands here:

#3,827

#1#100#1K#10K#100K

← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for Matthew is 7 letters long, classified as a proper noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈmæθjuː/. Corpus data places it at rank #3,827 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for Matthew, with forms such as "amtthew", "mathew", and "mathtew". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 8 confusable-pair relationships, "Mattie", "Mayhew", "Matthews", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From earlier Matheu, from Old French Mathieu, from Latin Matthaeus, from Ancient Greek Ματθαῖος (Matthaîos), from Aramaic מַתַּי (mattay). Compare Hebrew מַתִּתְיָהוּ (mattiṯyāhū, literally “gift of the Lord”). Doublet of Mattathias. The correct English form is Matthew, spelled M-A-T-T-H-E-W.

Definition

1
A male given name from Hebrew of biblical origin.
2
A surname originating as a patronymic.
3
Matthew the Evangelist, one of the twelve Apostles. A publican or tax-collector at Capernaum and credited with the authorship of the Gospel of Matthew.
4
The Gospel of St. Matthew, the first book of the New Testament of the Bible. Traditionally the first of the four gospels, a book attributed to Matthew the Evangelist.

Etymology

From earlier Matheu, from Old French Mathieu, from Latin Matthaeus, from Ancient Greek Ματθαῖος (Matthaîos), from Aramaic מַתַּי (mattay). Compare Hebrew מַתִּתְיָהוּ (mattiṯyāhū, literally “gift of the Lord”). Doublet of Mattathias.

This word in other languages

Mateo(Español)Matthieu(Français)Matthias(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: amtthew,mathew,mathtew,mattehw,mattheww,matthhew,matthwe,mmatthew,mtathew

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of Matthew - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

Edit distance from "Matthew"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "Matthew"?

"Matthew" is spelled M-A-T-T-H-E-W. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈmæθjuː/.

What does "Matthew" mean?

As a proper noun, "Matthew" means: A male given name from Hebrew of biblical origin.

What words are commonly confused with "Matthew"?

"Matthew" is commonly confused with "Mattie", "Mayhew", "Matthews". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.

How do you pronounce "Matthew"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Matthew" is /ˈmæθjuː/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.

What is the origin of the word "Matthew"?

Is PlainSpell free to use?

Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “Matthew”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

The one correct English spelling is M-A-T-T-H-E-W - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /ˈmæθjuː/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
Don't mix it up with “Mattie” - see the side-by-side comparison. Matthew vs Mattie
Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.