Mattias

The story behind Mattias

Mattias is a Scandinavian and Germanic form of Matthew, which derives from the Hebrew name Mattityahu (מתתיהו). The name combines two Hebrew elements: "mat" (מת), meaning "gift," and "yahu" (יהו), a shortened form of Yahweh, the Hebrew name for God. Thus the literal meaning is "gift of God." The name traveled westward through Greek (Matthaios) and Latin (Matthaeus) before evolving into various European forms. In Scandinavian languages, particularly Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish, "Mattias" became the standard variant, while German speakers adopted "Matthias" and English speakers retained "Matthew." Each language adapted the original Hebrew name to fit its phonetic conventions, but all retained the underlying meaning and connection to the biblical source.

Mattias draws its historical significance from Saint Matthew (also called Levi), one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. According to the Christian New Testament, Matthew was a tax collector in Capernaum who was called by Jesus to become his follower. He is traditionally credited as the author of the Gospel of Matthew, one of the four canonical gospels. Matthew became venerated as a saint and martyr in Christian tradition, and his feast day is celebrated on September 21. The name gained particular prominence in Northern Europe and Scandinavia during the Middle Ages through the veneration of Saint Matthew, and it has remained a culturally significant biblical name in those regions ever since.