Matt first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Matt has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Matt

A masculine given name of English origin referring to Matthew.

Popularity of Matt by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Matt is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 46 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Matt.

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 46 0
2022 34 0
2021 37 0
2020 37 0
2019 38 0
2018 42 0
2017 71 0
2016 59 0
2015 57 0
2014 61 0
2013 47 0
2012 56 0
2011 44 0
2010 51 0
2009 60 0
2008 68 0
2007 62 0
2006 67 0
2005 40 0
2004 46 0
2003 55 0
2002 59 0
2001 53 0
2000 48 0
1999 69 0
1998 55 0
1997 56 0
1996 51 0
1995 50 0
1994 67 0
1993 60 0
1992 87 0
1991 83 0
1990 92 0
1989 105 0
1988 145 0
1987 135 0
1986 163 0
1985 165 0
1984 178 0
1983 226 0
1982 197 0
1981 199 0
1980 237 0
1979 255 0
1978 235 0
1977 294 0
1976 340 0
1975 408 0
1974 400 0

The history of the first name Matt

The given name Matt is derived from the Hebrew name Mattityahu, which means "gift of God" or "God's gift." The name can be traced back to the biblical figure Mattathias, a Jewish priest who led the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire in the 2nd century BCE.

Mattityahu was a common name among Jews in ancient times, and it was often shortened to Matityah or Mattai. The name eventually spread to other cultures and languages, evolving into various forms such as Matthew, Matthias, and Matt.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Matt can be found in the New Testament of the Bible, where it appears as the name of one of the twelve apostles, Matthew (also known as Levi). Matthew was a tax collector who became a follower of Jesus Christ and is believed to have authored the Gospel of Matthew.

In the Middle Ages, the name Matt became popular in Europe, particularly in England and other parts of the British Isles. Several notable historical figures bore this name, including Matt Buchinger (1674-1739), a German artist and performer who was born without arms or legs but became renowned for his calligraphy and woodcarving skills.

Another famous bearer of the name was Matt Talbot (1856-1925), an Irish Catholic who overcame alcoholism and devoted his life to penance and helping the poor. He is venerated as a patron saint of those struggling with addiction.

During the Renaissance, the Italian polymath Matteo Ricci (1552-1610) was known as Matt Ricci. He was a Jesuit missionary who traveled to China and made significant contributions to the introduction of Western science and culture to the country.

In more recent history, Matt Busby (1909-1994) was a legendary Scottish football player and manager who guided Manchester United to numerous successes, including the European Cup in 1968.

Matt Damon (born 1970) is a renowned American actor who has starred in numerous critically acclaimed films, such as Good Will Hunting, The Departed, and The Martian, for which he received several Academy Award nominations.

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 Matt was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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"Matt first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on October 31, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/matt-meaning-and-history/.

"Matt first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/matt-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 31 October, 2024

Matt first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/matt-meaning-and-history/.

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