Matti
A Finnish masculine given name meaning "manly, brave one."
Name Census estimates that about 708 living Americans carry the first name Matti. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 89.3% of registrations being female. The average person named Matti today is around 22 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Matti births was 2008 (34 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Matti. 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.
People living today
708
~ 1 in 484,116 Americans
Peak year
2008
34 babies that year
Average age
22
years old
2024 SSA rank
#9,970
Tracked since 1975
Gender
Gender distribution for Matti
Matti leans heavily female at 89.3% of total registrations, but 77 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Matti as a male name
- Ranked #13,479 in 2024
- 5 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2015 (7 births)
Matti as a female name
- Ranked #9,970 in 2024
- 10 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2008 (34 births)
Popularity
Matti: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Matti from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 255 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Matti 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 Matti during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Mattis live
Origin
Meaning and history of Matti
The name Matti originates from the Hebrew name Mattathiah, which means "gift of God." It has its roots in the ancient Hebrew culture and can be traced back to biblical times.
The name Matti gained popularity in Finland, where it is a diminutive form of the Finnish name Matti or Mattias, derived from the Hebrew Mattathiah. It became a common name among Finnish families, particularly in the medieval and early modern periods.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Matti can be found in the Finnish epic poem "Kalevala," which dates back to the 19th century. The poem features a character named Matti, who represents a wise and resourceful individual.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Matti. One such individual was Matti Kurikka (1863-1915), a Finnish writer and poet who contributed significantly to the development of Finnish literature.
Another prominent figure was Matti Nykänen (1963-2019), a Finnish ski jumper who won multiple Olympic and World Championship medals, and is considered one of the greatest athletes in his sport.
In the field of politics, Matti Vanhanen (born 1955) served as the Prime Minister of Finland from 2003 to 2010, leading the country through a period of economic growth and development.
In the world of science, Matti Saarnio (1925-2021) was a renowned Finnish nuclear physicist who made significant contributions to the field of nuclear reactor safety and played a crucial role in the development of Finland's nuclear energy program.
Matti Salminen (1936-2016) was a Finnish actor and director who gained international recognition for his performances in various films and theater productions. He is considered one of the most influential figures in Finnish cinema and theater.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the name Matti throughout history, illustrating its rich cultural heritage and significance across various fields.
People
Matti + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Matti 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
Matti: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Matti?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 708 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Matti 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 484,116 US residents.
Is Matti a common name?
We classify Matti as "Very Rare". It ranks above 87.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 723 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Matti most popular?
The single biggest year for Matti was 2008, when 34 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Matti is about 22 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Matti a female name?
Yes, 89.3% of people registered as Matti in the SSA data are female. 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.
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.