Matthijs

Matthijs is the Dutch form of Matthew, derived from the Hebrew name Mattityahu, meaning gift of Yahweh, composed of the elements mattan (gift) and yah (a shortened form of the divine name). The name entered Dutch via the Latin Matthaeus and Greek Matthaios, which were themselves adaptations of the Hebrew original. It has long been borne across the Netherlands and Flanders, sustained in part by veneration of the apostle and evangelist Matthew. Related forms include Mattijs, Mathijs, and the broader international variants Matthias, Matthew, and Matteo.