Find out how popular the first name Mats has been for the last 33 years (from 1986 to 2018) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Mats by gender

Based on the last 33 years of data, Mats is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2018, there were 5 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Mats.

The history of the first name Mats

The name Mats is of Scandinavian origin, specifically from the Swedish language. It is a diminutive form of the name Mattias or Matthias, which is derived from the Hebrew name Mattityahu, meaning "gift of God."

The name Mats has been in use since the Middle Ages in Scandinavia, particularly in Sweden and Norway. It is believed to have been popularized during the Christian era as a variant of the biblical name Matthew.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mats can be found in the Icelandic Sagas, which are a collection of historical narratives written in the 13th and 14th centuries. These texts mention individuals with the name Mats, indicating its use during the Viking Age.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Mats. Mats Eriksson Lederhusen (1325-1386) was a Swedish statesman and member of the Privy Council during the reign of King Magnus IV. Mats Jonsson Rudebäck (1538-1622) was a Swedish military officer and governor of Älvsborg County.

In the realm of arts and culture, Mats Ek (1945-) is a renowned Swedish choreographer and dancer, known for his influential contemporary dance works. Mats Traat (1936-1992) was an Estonian writer and playwright who made significant contributions to Estonian literature.

Another notable figure is Mats Sundin (1971-), a Swedish former professional ice hockey player who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2012.

While the name Mats has its roots in Scandinavia, it has also been adopted in other parts of the world, particularly in areas with Swedish or Nordic cultural influences.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Mats was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Mats, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!