Matai
A masculine Samoan name meaning "supreme chief".
Name Census estimates that about 456 living Americans carry the first name Matai. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Matai today is around 14 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Matai births was 2012 (33 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Matai. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Matai with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
456
~ 1 in 751,654 Americans
Peak year
2012
33 babies that year
Average age
14
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,563
Tracked since 1998
Census
Matai in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 370 people with the first name Matai, which placed it at #25,584 in the published first-name tables. This is a snapshot of people who already had the name at the time of the Census.
The SSA sections elsewhere on this page answer a different question: how often parents gave the name to babies over time. The "people living today" figure on this page is different again: it is a current estimate built from SSA birth records and age-based survival rates, so the two numbers are not expected to match exactly.
2020 Census rank
#25,584
National first-name rank
People counted
370
370 in the published race/origin table
Per 100,000
0.1
People with this name in 2020
Largest reported group
Two or more races
34.6% of people with this name
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Matai
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Matai is Two or More Races at 34.6%. The next largest groups are Black (23.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (18.1%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself.
The bar chart below shows how people with the first name Matai described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given name, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown so the breakdown is easy to read across every published category. Because the 2020 Census first-name file also includes raw headcounts for each group, Name Census can show those alongside the percentages in the legend and hover tooltip.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A first name does not determine a person's race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the name Matai at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Two or more races34.6% · 128
- Black or African American23.5% · 87
- Asian and Pacific Islander18.1% · 67
- Hispanic or Latino12.7% · 47
- White10.8% · 40
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 1
Popularity
Matai: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Matai from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 243 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2010s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Matai by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Matai during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Matais live
Origin
Meaning and history of Matai
The name Matai has its origins in the Polynesian languages of the Pacific Islands, particularly in Samoa and Tonga. It is derived from the Proto-Polynesian word "matai," which means "chief" or "leader." The name has been in use for centuries, dating back to the ancient civilizations of these island nations.
In Samoan culture, the matai is a highly respected position within a family or village. It is a title bestowed upon individuals who have demonstrated leadership qualities, wisdom, and a deep understanding of traditional customs and values. The matai serves as the head of an extended family and plays a crucial role in decision-making processes, conflict resolution, and the preservation of cultural heritage.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Matai can be found in the oral traditions and legends passed down through generations in Samoa and Tonga. These stories often featured prominent matais who were revered for their bravery, wisdom, and guidance in times of conflict or hardship.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Matai. One such figure was Matai'i Tokelau, a renowned Samoan chief and navigator who lived in the late 18th century. He was celebrated for his exceptional seafaring skills and his role in facilitating the spread of Polynesian culture across the Pacific islands.
Another prominent Matai was Matai'ulua Ioane Susuga, a Samoan chief and orator who lived in the 19th century. He was highly regarded for his eloquence and his ability to resolve disputes through diplomacy and dialogue. His name is still invoked in Samoan oratory as a symbol of wisdom and persuasive speech.
In the realm of Tongan history, Matai'ulua Fusitu'a was a revered chief and warrior who lived in the 16th century. He was known for his military prowess and his role in defending the Tongan islands from external threats. His legacy has been celebrated through oral traditions and historical accounts.
Matai Saleufi, a Samoan chief and political leader, played a significant role in the early 20th century during the struggle for independence from colonial rule. He was a vocal advocate for Samoan self-determination and worked tirelessly to preserve the traditions and sovereignty of his people.
In more recent times, Matai Mulinuu served as the head of state of Samoa from 1962 to 1963. He was a respected matai and played a pivotal role in the country's transition to independence from New Zealand.
The name Matai continues to hold great significance in Polynesian cultures, particularly in Samoa and Tonga, where it is deeply rooted in the traditions and histories of these island nations. It serves as a reminder of the importance of leadership, wisdom, and the preservation of cultural heritage.
People
Matai + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Matai as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Matai: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Matai?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 456 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Matai going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 751,654 US residents.
Is Matai a common name?
We classify Matai as "Very Rare". It ranks above 83.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 460 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Matai most popular?
The single biggest year for Matai was 2012, when 33 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Matai is about 14 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
How common was Matai in the 2020 Census?
The published 2020 Census first-name tables recorded 370 people with the name Matai, or 0.12 per 100,000 residents. That placed it at #25,584 in the national Census ranking for first names.
Why is the Census count different from the living estimate?
Because they measure different things. The Census figure is a count of people who had the name Matai in 2020. The living estimate aims to answer a current question instead: how many people with the name are alive today, based on SSA birth records and age-based survival rates. Since one number is a 2020 snapshot and the other is a present-day estimate, they are not expected to be identical.
What does the Census say about the gender split for Matai?
In the 2020 Census sex table, Matai leans strongly male. 343 people counted with this name were male (91.2%), compared with 33 female bearers (8.8%). The Census view is a snapshot of people living with the name in 2020, while the SSA section above tracks births across time.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Matai?
In the 2020 Census race and Hispanic-origin table, the largest reported group for people named Matai is Two or More Races at 34.6%. The next largest groups are Black (23.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (18.1%). These figures describe the people who had the name in 2020, not any inherent property of the name itself. The percentages in the chart above come from self-reported race and Hispanic-origin responses in the 2020 Census.
Which group reports the name Matai most often in the Census?
Two or More Races is the largest reported group for people named Matai in the 2020 Census, accounting for 34.6% (128 people in the published table).
Why can the Census sex total and race total differ slightly?
The Census Bureau published separate 2020 tables for sex and for race/Hispanic origin, and the released figures can differ slightly because of privacy protection in the public files. That is why this page treats the gender section and the race/origin section as two related snapshots instead of forcing them into one identical total.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only includes names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files have no Census demographic snapshot. When that happens, the SSA trend, gender history, and state sections still appear, but the 2020 Census demographic sections are omitted.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Matai in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Matai a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Matai in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Matai still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Matai in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Matai can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
How many people have the name Matai?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.