boy's name
Matthias
muh-THY-us
- Origin Hebrew
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 3
- Letters 8
- Popularity Top 1000 (France)
- Births on record 32,244
the United States
#372
2025 births
Matthias is a boy's name of Hebrew origin meaning "gift of God". It is a Greek form of Mattithyahu, the same name as Matthew, and belongs to the apostle chosen by lot to replace Judas in the Book of Acts.
- Matthias is a name of Hebrew origin.
- Peaked in France in 2001, when 690 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade in France.
- Today about 1 in 9,069 babies in France is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1908.
- 3 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Matthias over time
Births per decade in France, 1900s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 5 |
| 1960s | 15 |
| 1970s | 980 |
| 1980s | 2,415 |
| 1990s | 4,670 |
| 2000s | 5,215 |
| 2010s | 1,940 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 540 |
What Matthias means
Matthias means gift of Yahweh, joining a word for a gift to a short form of the divine name. Matthew is the same name by a different route, so the two are twins rather than relatives.
Where Matthias comes from
Matthias renders the Hebrew Mattithyahu, from mattath, a gift, and yah, the divine name. Greek produced both Matthaios and Matthias from it, and English kept both as separate names — Matthew and Matthias — though they are one name in origin. The apostle Matthias was selected by casting lots to replace Judas Iscariot, the only apostolic appointment in the New Testament made that way. The same Hebrew name gives Mattathias, father of the Maccabees. German and Scandinavian use kept Matthias in wide circulation, which is where much English-language use comes from.
Matthias in use
Matthias charts in five of the seven countries we track and peaked in 2001.
How popular is Matthias?
In 2025, Matthias was given to 65 babies in France, ranking #664 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Matthias is used
French counts are rounded to the nearest five and nothing below five is published, so these figures show the shape of the name's use rather than an exact tally. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Matthias
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Matthias also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Matthias over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
2 nicknames for Matthias
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Matthias in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Matthias
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Matthias — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Matthias
What does the name Matthias mean?
Gift of God, from the Hebrew mattath, a gift, and yah, the divine name.
Is Matthias the same name as Matthew?
In origin yes — both render the Hebrew Mattithyahu through Greek, and English kept both forms as separate names.
Who was Matthias in the Bible?
The apostle chosen by lot to replace Judas Iscariot in the Book of Acts.
How popular is the name Matthias?
In 2025, Matthias was given to 65 babies in France, ranking #664 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Matthias a girl's or a boy's name?
Matthias is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Matthias?
Matthias has 3 syllables.
When was Matthias most popular?
Matthias peaked in 2001, when 690 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Matthias?
Matthias is usually shortened to Matt and Mattie.
Is Matthias a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Matthias currently ranks #372 in France. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.