Gift of God
Mathews is a patronymic surname-turned-first-name derived from the Hebrew name Mattityahu. It signifies 'gift of Yahweh' and has historically been more common as a family name than a given name. In the English-speaking world, it serves as a distinctive alternative to the more standard Matthew.
Less common today
Mathews isn't in the latest US Top 1000. It last peaked at #5,090 in 2006.
US births per 5-year period, 1990–present (SSA data).
South African anti-apartheid activist and politician
