Maccabee as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Maccabee

What is the meaning of the name Maccabee ?

The baby name Maccabee is a Male name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈmækəbi/ (MAK-ə-bee).

Maccabee is Hebrew in Origin.

Maccabee is an English form of the Hebrew/Aramaic epithet Makabi (Makkabī), transmitted through Greek Makkabaios and Latin Machabaeus. The epithet belonged to Judah, leader of the 2nd‑century BCE Jewish revolt, and later named his family and followers. Its meaning is debated: many derive it from a Semitic word for “hammer,” evoking a fierce striker in battle; another tradition reads it as an acrostic of the Hebrew phrase Mi kamokha ba’elim, Adonai (“Who is like You among the gods, O Lord?”).

As a given name, Maccabee is rare but used in Jewish and English-speaking communities to honor Hanukkah, Jewish resilience, and the Hasmonean legacy. Variants and related forms include Maccabi/Makkabi/Makabi (Hebrew/modern Israeli), Maccabeus (Latinized), Maccabée (French), Macabeo/Macabeos (Spanish), and Maccabeo (Italian); surnames such as Maccabee or Macabee also appear. The name carries connotations of courage, faith, and steadfast strength.