Makabee as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Makabee

What is the meaning of the name Makabee ?

The baby name Makabee is a Male name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced mah-KAH-bee (IPA: /məˈkɑːbi/). Common English variant: MAK-ə-bee (/'mækəbi/).

Makabee is Hebrew in Origin.

Makabee is a modern Anglicized form of Maccabee, ultimately from Greek Makkabaios and Latin Maccabaeus, applied to Judah “the Maccabee,” leader of the 2nd‑century BCE Jewish revolt. The epithet likely derives from Hebrew/Aramaic maqqabā, “hammer,” though a devotional folk etymology reads it as an acronym of Mi Kamocha Ba’elim Adonai, “Who is like You among the gods, O Lord?” The spelling Makabee streamlines the sound for English while preserving the historic resonance.

Usage as a given name is rare but attested in English-speaking and Jewish communities from the 19th century onward, often chosen for its heroism and resilient “hammer” meaning; modern parents may view it as gender-neutral. Variants include Maccabee, Macabee, Maccabi/Makabi (Hebrew transliterations), Maccabeus (Latinized), Maccabée (French), and Macabeo (Spanish). Related surnames Macabee/Maccabee occur in the Anglosphere. The name evokes the Hasmonean legacy and the Books of the Maccabees, linking it to courage, faith, and national renewal.

⚙ Makabee is an extremely rare name. Across our dataset of national birth registries and international name records, Makabee appears only 5 times in total — found in 1 country. If you're considering it, you'd be giving your child a name almost nobody else has.