UK boy's name
Mats
A Scandinavian diminutive form of Matthias, meaning "gift of God".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2020. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Mats is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Mats popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2020 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4608, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2016, with 4 births.
This profile covers 13 England and Wales registrations across 4 recorded years from 2003 to 2020. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 13 living people in the UK are called Mats. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2021 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Mats ranked #4608 for boys in England and Wales in 2020, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2016, when 4 boys were registered as Mats.
- • About 13 living people in the UK are estimated to have Mats as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4608
2020
Births in 2020
3
Latest year
Peak year
2016
4 births
Estimated living
13
2026
Meaning
What does Mats mean?
The name Mats is of Scandinavian origin, specifically from the Swedish language. It is a diminutive form of the name Mattias or Matthias, which is derived from the Hebrew name Mattityahu, meaning "gift of God."
The name Mats has been in use since the Middle Ages in Scandinavia, particularly in Sweden and Norway. It is believed to have been popularized during the Christian era as a variant of the biblical name Matthew.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mats can be found in the Icelandic Sagas, which are a collection of historical narratives written in the 13th and 14th centuries. These texts mention individuals with the name Mats, indicating its use during the Viking Age.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Mats. Mats Eriksson Lederhusen (1325-1386) was a Swedish statesman and member of the Privy Council during the reign of King Magnus IV. Mats Jonsson Rudebäck (1538-1622) was a Swedish military officer and governor of Älvsborg County.
In the realm of arts and culture, Mats Ek (1945-) is a renowned Swedish choreographer and dancer, known for his influential contemporary dance works. Mats Traat (1936-1992) was an Estonian writer and playwright who made significant contributions to Estonian literature.
Another notable figure is Mats Sundin (1971-), a Swedish former professional ice hockey player who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2012.
While the name Mats has its roots in Scandinavia, it has also been adopted in other parts of the world, particularly in areas with Swedish or Nordic cultural influences.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Mats over time
The chart below shows babies named Mats registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2003 to 2020. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Mats, the clearest high point is 2016. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2020, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Mats by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Mats was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #4608 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010s | #4023 | 4 | 1 |
| 2000s | #3900 | 6 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Mats
- Matthew 80,931
- Mohammed 74,321
- Muhammad 72,235
- Max 59,807
- Michael 47,075
- Mason 38,935
- Mohammad 25,910
- Morgan 15,994
- Muhammed 11,527
- Mark 11,336
- Marcus 11,257
- Maxwell 10,006
FAQ
Mats: questions and answers
How popular is the name Mats in the UK right now?
In 2020, Mats was ranked #4608 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Mats most popular?
The peak year on record was 2016, with 4 babies registered as Mats in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Mats?
A Scandinavian diminutive form of Matthias, meaning "gift of God".
How many people are called Mats in the UK?
A total of 13 babies have been registered as Mats across the 4 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.