Fun Facts About the Name Mattisyahu
- 25 babies named Mattisyahu: U.S. records list 25 babies given the name Mattisyahu from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Mattisyahu Mean?
Mattisyahu is a Hebrew name (מַתִּתְיָהוּ, also transliterated Mattityahu) meaning "gift of God." It combines the Hebrew noun mattan or matat, "gift," with Yah, a shortened form of the divine name YHWH. The ending -yahu is a common theophoric element in Hebrew personal names, so the literal sense is "gift of Yah," customarily rendered in English as "gift of God."
Mattisyahu Name History & Origins
The name appears in the Hebrew Bible as Mattithiah (Mattityahu), carried by several Levites in books such as 1 Chronicles. Its best-known early bearer is Mattathias (Matityahu) ben Yohanan, a priest of Modi'in who, according to 1 Maccabees, defied the Seleucid religious decrees and set off the Maccabean revolt in the second century BCE; he was the father of Judah Maccabee. Greek writers rendered the name as Mattathias, and that form passed into Latin.
A shortened form of the same name, Aramaic Mattai, was taken into Greek as Maththaios and Latin as Matthaeus, which became the English Matthew. The longer Hebrew form remained in use in Jewish communities and has been transliterated in several ways, including Mattityahu, Mattisyahu, and Matisyahu. The spelling with an "s" reflects those Hebrew traditions - notably Ashkenazi and some Sephardi pronunciation - in which the letter tav without a dagesh is sounded "s," as opposed to "t" or "th" in other traditions. In modern Hebrew the name is still given, and it is sometimes used as the Hebrew equivalent of Matthew.
How Popular is the Name Mattisyahu?
Mattisyahu has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2024. Its best rank was #5,564 in 2024.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #9,417 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2024 | #5,564 | 17 | 0.0010% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Mattisyahu Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have psychic power. You can carry on for others with joy. You have a receptive nature and may bear burdens for others. You are pragmatic, thorough, strong-willed, practical and stubborn at times. You are hard working, often martyr to duty. You like home and security above all. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You are always looking for an opportunity to achieve financial and emotional security. You are basically peacemaker. You understand the law of harmony and desire to balance your life with those around you. You may feel incomplete without someone to share your love, ideals, wealth or work. You can be very sensitive and could appear a bit shy and perceptive. You have developed intuition, patience and the ability to nurture others. You can achieve the state of happiness if you are willing to accept your needs in a complimentary relationship and go to create them.
✦ Mattisyahu's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Mattisyahu's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.