NameCensus.
Very Rare

Matais

A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "gift of God".

Name Census estimates that about 7 living Americans carry the first name Matais. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Matais today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Matais births was 2019 (7 babies).

This page is the full Name Census profile for Matais. 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.

Key insights

  • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Matais. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.

People living today

7

~ 1 in 48,964,905 Americans

Peak year

2019

7 babies that year

Average age

7

years old

2019 SSA rank

#10,433

Tracked since 2019

Popularity

Matais: popularity over time

Babies born per year

02457

Decades

Matais 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 Matais during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.

DecadeMaleFemaleTotal
2010s707

Origin

Meaning and history of Matais

The given name Matais has its origins tracing back to the ancient Hebrew language, where it is believed to have been derived from the name Mattathias, which itself is a variant of the Hebrew name Mattityahu. This name carries a significant meaning, translating to "Gift of God" or "Given by God."

In the Old Testament, the name Mattathias is associated with a prominent figure, a Jewish priest who led the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire in the 2nd century BCE. This revolt was a pivotal moment in Jewish history, as it led to the re-establishment of Jewish sovereignty in the Land of Israel.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Matais can be traced back to medieval times, particularly in regions with strong Jewish communities, such as Spain and Portugal. During this period, the name was commonly used among Jewish families, reflecting their religious and cultural heritage.

One of the earliest notable individuals bearing the name Matais was Matais Aranda Uvezoon, a Spanish Jewish philosopher and theologian who lived in the 13th century. He was renowned for his contributions to the study of Jewish mysticism and his commentaries on various religious texts.

In the 16th century, Matais Delacruz was a prominent Spanish painter and sculptor, known for his intricate woodcarvings and religious artworks adorning various churches and cathedrals throughout Spain.

Moving forward to the 19th century, Matais Curie was a Polish-born physicist and chemist, best known for his pioneering work in the field of radioactivity. He shared the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics with his wife, Marie Curie, and Henri Becquerel for their groundbreaking discoveries.

Another notable figure bearing the name Matais was Matais Gandhi, an Indian lawyer and political activist who played a pivotal role in India's struggle for independence from British rule. He was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi and actively participated in the non-violent civil disobedience movement.

In more recent times, Matais Alvarez was a renowned Mexican writer and poet, celebrated for his poetic exploration of themes such as love, nature, and the human condition. His works have been widely translated and studied in literary circles around the world.

While the name Matais has its roots in the ancient Hebrew language and Jewish culture, it has transcended religious and cultural boundaries, gaining popularity across various regions and communities throughout history. The name continues to be embraced by individuals seeking a connection to its rich historical and religious significance.

People

Matais + last name combinations

How many people share a full name with Matais 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

Matais: questions and answers

How many people in the U.S. are named Matais?

Name Census puts the figure at roughly 7 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Matais 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 48,964,905 US residents.

Is Matais a common name?

We classify Matais as "Very Rare". It ranks above 23.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 7 babies have been registered with this name.

When was Matais most popular?

The single biggest year for Matais was 2019, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Matais is about 7 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.

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 Matais in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.

Is Matais a male name?

Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Matais 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 Matais still being used today?

Yes. The SSA still recorded Matais 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 Matais 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.

Does every first name have Census demographic data?

No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.

How many people are named Matais?

Want to know how many people share the name Matais? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.

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There are 7 people

with the first name

Matais

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