Given name & surname
Mat
“gift of God”·“a gift from God”·“one who is mighty in battle”
Mat is a variant of Matthew. Interpretations include “gift of God” (Hebrew) and “a gift from God” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions. Mat is a variant of Matilda. One German interpretation is “one who is mighty in battle.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Mat is a variant of Matthew. Interpretations include “gift of God” (Hebrew) and “a gift from God” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions. Mat is a variant of Matilda. One German interpretation is “one who is mighty in battle.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Mat is a variant of Matthew. An origin associated with Matthew is Hebrew. Mat is a variant of Matilda. A possible origin is Germanic, although the derivation remains uncertain.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English usage, Mat is a diminutive of Matthew.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Mat is a variant of Matilda. The history of Matilda gives this family its wider story. Use of Matilda was revived during the 18th century.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Mat through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 794
- 794 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1917
- 21 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 5 in 2013. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for boys was 21 in 1917. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 2,406 as a first name in 2020; 322 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Mat’s family of names
In English usage, Mat is a diminutive of Matthew. In English usage, Mat has a related form in Matt. Mat has a related form in Matthew.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Mat has relatives in 4 languages.
5 related names in 4 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 6
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Mat
- Mat RobinsonCanadian ice hockey defencemanborn 1986
- Mat HoffmanAmerican BMX rider (born 1972)
- Mat KearneyAmerican musicianborn 1978
- Mat ManeriAmerican composer, improviser and jazz violin and viola playerborn 1969
- Mat CollishawEnglish artist (born 1966)
- Mat OsmanBritish musicianborn 1967
- Mat BaileyEnglish footballerborn 1986
- Mat JohnsonAmerican novelistborn 1970
- Mat IshbiaAmerican businessmanborn 1980
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Mat, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Manning
“daughter of Man” · “the son of the man; the son of the hero”
95% boys · 5% girls
Mahlon
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“a large man” · “a farmer”
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Mose
Mose is a given name from Latin. It is used in German.
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Worth
“enclosure”
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Meyer
“giving light” · “a large man”
85% boys · 15% girls
Armand
“of the army; a soldier”
>99% boys
Wright
“a wood carver; a carpenter”
>99% boys