Matthias Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: ma-TIE-us /məˈθaɪəs/
Origin: Hebrew; Greek; Latin
Meaning: Hebrew: gift of God; Greek: brave; Latin: mighty
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Matthias has its roots in the Hebrew name Mattityahu, which means "gift of Yahweh" or "gift of God." This name was adapted into Greek as Matthias (Ματθίας) and subsequently entered Latin as Mattias. The transition into Old French and then into Middle English maintained the core phonetic structure, leading to the modern English form, Matthias.
The name reflects a significant religious connotation, particularly within Judeo-Christian traditions, as it is associated with the apostle Matthias, who was chosen to replace Judas Iscariot after the latter's betrayal of Jesus Christ, as detailed in the New Testament's Book of Acts, written in the 1st century CE. Historically, Matthias is recognized as a saint in both the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches, with his feast day celebrated on February 24.
His selection as an apostle is often viewed as a pivotal moment in the early Christian community, symbolizing themes of redemption and divine providence. The name has appeared in various religious texts and translations, including the King James Bible, which contributed to its enduring presence in Christian nomenclature.
Culturally, the name Matthias has been associated with qualities such as loyalty and faithfulness, reflecting the character of the apostle himself. The name has also inspired various diminutive forms, such as Matt or Matty, which have been used in different cultures.
The historical significance of Matthias is underscored by its use in various literary and artistic works throughout the centuries, reinforcing its connection to themes of faith and divine favor. Overall, the name Matthias carries a rich tapestry of linguistic evolution and cultural resonance, rooted deeply in religious history.
Famous people named Matthias
In this section, you will find notable people named Matthias. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Matthias who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Matthias who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Matthias Schoenaerts is an actor best known for Rust and Bone, The Danish Girl, and Far from the Madding Crowd.
Matthias Müller is a businessman best known for being the CEO of Volkswagen AG.
Matthias Jabs is a musician best known for being the lead guitarist of the band Scorpions.
Matthias Sammer is a former football player and coach best known for his time with Borussia Dortmund and the German national team.
Matthias Claudius is a poet best known for his poem 'Der Mond ist aufgegangen'.
Matthias Grunewald is an artist best known for his altarpiece, the Isenheim Altarpiece.
Fictional characters named Matthias
The following list of fictional characters named Matthias is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Matthias is a fictional character from the book series Redwall by Brian Jacques. He is a brave mouse who becomes a hero in the fight against evil forces threatening his home.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Matthias, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Matthias. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Matthias was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Matthias has ranked as high as #700 nationally, which occurred in 2018, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Florida, New York, and Pennsylvania.
In the past 5 years the name Matthias has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Matthias is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Matthias was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Matthias (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 88 | |
| CA | 87 | |
| FL | 42 | |
| NY | 35 | |
| AZ | 28 | |
| VA | 20 | |
| OH | 19 | |
| IN | 17 | |
| WA | 16 | |
| PA | 16 | |
| IL | 16 | |
| MN | 15 | |
| UT | 14 | |
| NC | 14 | |
| TN | 13 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Matthias.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 653 |
| 2023 | 628 |
| 2022 | 663 |
| 2021 | 680 |
| 2020 | 694 |
| 2019 | 762 |
| 2018 | 788 |
| 2017 | 660 |
| 2016 | 611 |
| 2015 | 517 |
| 2014 | 487 |
| 2013 | 417 |
| 2012 | 347 |
| 2011 | 292 |
| 2010 | 262 |
| 2009 | 298 |
| 2008 | 292 |
| 2007 | 262 |
| 2006 | 255 |
| 2005 | 205 |
| 2004 | 223 |
| 2003 | 161 |
| 2002 | 130 |
| 2001 | 120 |
| 2000 | 110 |
| 1999 | 97 |
| 1998 | 105 |
| 1997 | 83 |
| 1996 | 81 |
| 1995 | 89 |
| 1994 | 78 |
| 1993 | 72 |
| 1992 | 83 |
| 1991 | 69 |
| 1990 | 68 |
| 1989 | 66 |
| 1988 | 64 |
| 1987 | 60 |
| 1986 | 62 |
| 1985 | 47 |
| 1984 | 39 |
| 1983 | 43 |
| 1982 | 42 |
| 1981 | 51 |
| 1980 | 52 |
| 1979 | 34 |
| 1978 | 33 |
| 1977 | 25 |
| 1976 | 30 |
| 1975 | 24 |
| 1974 | 32 |
| 1973 | 20 |
| 1972 | 18 |
| 1971 | 25 |
| 1970 | 17 |
| 1969 | 16 |
| 1968 | 19 |
| 1967 | 20 |
| 1966 | 20 |
| 1965 | 16 |
| 1964 | 19 |
| 1963 | 18 |
| 1962 | 17 |
| 1961 | 23 |
| 1960 | 11 |
| 1959 | 10 |
| 1958 | 7 |
| 1957 | 10 |
| 1956 | 15 |
| 1955 | 7 |
| 1954 | 8 |
| 1953 | 6 |
| 1952 | 5 |
| 1951 | 7 |
| 1950 | 5 |
| 1949 | 6 |
| 1948 | 7 |
| 1946 | 7 |
| 1945 | 8 |
| 1944 | 9 |
| 1943 | 9 |
| 1942 | 9 |
| 1941 | 7 |
| 1940 | 7 |
| 1939 | 6 |
| 1938 | 11 |
| 1937 | 11 |
| 1935 | 6 |
| 1934 | 5 |
| 1933 | 11 |
| 1931 | 6 |
| 1930 | 8 |
| 1929 | 9 |
| 1928 | 7 |
| 1927 | 14 |
| 1926 | 10 |
| 1925 | 8 |
| 1924 | 13 |
| 1923 | 18 |
| 1922 | 15 |
| 1921 | 10 |
| 1920 | 14 |
| 1919 | 14 |
| 1918 | 20 |
| 1917 | 25 |
| 1916 | 18 |
| 1915 | 17 |
| 1914 | 19 |
| 1913 | 9 |
| 1912 | 12 |
| 1910 | 8 |
| 1899 | 5 |
| 1895 | 5 |
| 1890 | 5 |
| 1885 | 8 |
| 1883 | 5 |
| 1882 | 5 |
| 1880 | 5 |