Matija

Matija (Cyrillic Матија) is a male first name that is common in Croatia, Serbia, and Slovenia. It is less frequently used as a female first name. It is a variant of the biblical name Matthias and has its roots in Ancient Hebrew, where it means "gift of God," "gift of the Lord," or "given by JHWH (God)."

What does the name Matija mean?

The first name Matija (Cyrillic Матија) represents a male, occasionally also female, form of the biblical name Matthias. This name has Ancient Hebrew origins and carries the meanings "gift of God," "gift of the Lord," or "given by JHWH (God)." In South Slavic languages, variants such as Matej and Mateja can be found. A purely female form in Croatia is Matijana.

Where does the name Matija come from?

The name Matija has its origin in the Ancient Hebrew name Mattitjāhū (מַתִּתְיָהוּ), which is a variant of the biblical Matthias. It is composed of the Hebrew words mattath (מַתַּת), meaning "gift, present," and jhwh (יהוה), the name of God.

How do you pronounce Matija?

The pronunciation of Matija is melodic and three syllables, with the name usually pronounced as "Ma-ti-ja" [ˈmaːtiːja]. It begins with a long A sound that radiates warmth, followed by a long I sound in the middle syllable. The ending "-ja" gives the name a certain lightness. Matija exudes harmony and tradition – a name with clear structure and gentle presence.

When is the name day of Matija?

The name day of Matija falls on February 24, in honor of the Apostle Matthias.

Popularity

In Germany, Matija is among the relatively popular first names. Currently, it ranks 867th on the list of the most common male baby names. Its best placement was in 2005 at rank 827. In the last ten years, the name has been given about 260 times, placing it 1,323rd in the ten-year statistics. Between 2010 and 2024, it ranks 1,564th.

Nicknames & pet names

Maki / Mata / Mati / Matko

Similar first names

Matijas

Famous people

• Matija Antun Relkovic (Croatian writer)
• Matija Ban (Serbian writer)
• Matija Beckovic (Serbian writer)
• Matija Dvornekovic (Yugoslav football player)
• Matija Jama (American painter)
• Matija Kristic (Yugoslav football player)
• Matija Ljubek (rower from Germany)
• Matija Mesic (historian from Croatia)
• Matija Milicic (Croatian ice hockey player)
• Matija Murko (Slovenian scholar)
• Matija Nastasic (Serbian football player)
• Matija Nastašič (footballer)
• Matija Petar Katancic (writer from Croatia)
• Matija Pintaric (Slovenian ice hockey player)
• Matija Prskalo (Croatian actress)
• Matija Sestak (Slovenian sprinter)
• Matija Sirok (Slovenian football player)
• Matija Skarabot (football player from Slovenia)
• Matija Smrekar (Yugoslav footballer)
• Matija Spicic (footballer from Yugoslavia)