Mattathias as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Mattathias

What is the meaning of the name Mattathias ?

The baby name Mattathias is a Male name , 4 syllables long and is pronounced {'ipa': '/ˌmætəˈθaɪəs/', 'respelling': 'mat-uh-THY-əs'}.

Mattathias is Hebrew in Origin.

Mattathias derives from the Hebrew Matityahu (מַתִּתְיָהוּ), meaning “gift of Yahweh/God.” Carried into Greek as Mattathias (Ματταθίας) and Latin as Mathathias, it stands at the root of related forms such as Matthew and Matthias. Variant spellings include Mattithiah and Mattathiah; modern Hebrew/Yiddish renderings include Matityahu and Matisyahu. Diminutives like Matt and Mati occur, though the full form is often kept in formal settings.

The name is best known from Mattathias the Hasmonean, the priest of Modi’in whose defiance sparked the Maccabean revolt (167 BCE), memorialized in 1 Maccabees and by Josephus. Several lesser biblical figures bear cognate forms (e.g., Levite musicians in Chronicles, and Mattathias in Luke’s genealogy), strengthening its scriptural pedigree. In English usage it remains rare, favored in Jewish and scholarly contexts, while related Matthew/Matthias dominate. Mattathias balances austere antiquity with an uplifting meaning, making it a distinctive, tradition-rich choice.