Matten
A masculine Scandinavian name of unknown meaning, possibly derived from Dutch roots.
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Matten. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Matten today is around 18 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Matten births was 2008 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Matten. 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 Matten. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2008
5 babies that year
Average age
18
years old
2008 SSA rank
#13,886
Tracked since 2008
Popularity
Matten: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Matten 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 Matten during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Matten
The name Matten is believed to have originated from the Germanic language family, with roots tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is thought to be a variant of the name Matthias, which itself is derived from the Hebrew name Mattithyahu, meaning "gift of God."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Matten can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of medieval charters and documents from the region that is now modern-day Germany. In these records, a man named Matten von Nürnberg is mentioned as a merchant and landowner in the 13th century.
In the 14th century, a notable figure named Matten Heidegger is recorded as a prominent scholar and theologian in the city of Basel, Switzerland. His writings and teachings on Christian doctrine and philosophy were influential during his time.
Moving into the Renaissance period, a Dutch painter named Matten van Heemskerck (1498-1574) gained recognition for his works depicting religious and mythological subjects. His paintings can be found in various museums across Europe.
In the 17th century, a German composer and organist named Matten Weckmann (1616-1674) made significant contributions to the development of sacred music. His compositions for organ and choir were widely performed in churches throughout Germany and the surrounding regions.
During the 18th century, a French philosopher and writer named Matten Dumont (1701-1784) gained notoriety for his works on political theory and social critique. His ideas were influential during the Enlightenment period and garnered both praise and controversy.
These historical figures and records demonstrate the widespread use of the name Matten across various cultures and time periods, particularly in Germanic and European regions. While the name may have evolved or been adapted over time, its roots can be traced back to its origins as a variant of the Hebrew name Mattithyahu, reflecting the diverse linguistic and cultural influences that have shaped its history.
People
Matten + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Matten 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
Matten: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Matten?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Matten 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Matten a common name?
We classify Matten as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Matten most popular?
The single biggest year for Matten was 2008, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Matten is about 18 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 Matten in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Matten a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Matten 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 Matten still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Matten 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 Matten 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 called Matten?
You can see how many Americans are named Matten on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.