Meaning of Mattel | Imamother

amother

Tue, Aug 16 2022, 8:49 pm

I recently found out that my grandmother's grandmother's name was Shaindel Mattel. What is "Mattel"? Is it Meital?

amother

DarkRed

Tue, Aug 16 2022, 11:17 pm

I dont know the meaning of Mattel, but I know that the "Choiza of Lublin's" mother's name was Mattel

salt

Wed, Aug 17 2022, 12:40 am

amother OP wrote:

I recently found out that my grandmother's grandmother's name was Shaindel Mattel. What is "Mattel"? Is it Meital?

Meital is a modern Israeli name. I haven't heard of Mattel, but Meital could be a nice alternative.

amother

Saddlebrown

Wed, Aug 17 2022, 12:58 am

If you do an advanced search on the site (make sure not to limit to only this past year) you'll find a few threads on the subject.

It may be derived from Miriam or "Maidel." Also may be related to a similar word in Aramaic, and someone suggested a beautiful (not spelled the same) connection to "Matana M'Keil" - gift from Hashem.

Tel Tzion Ima

Sun, Dec 11 2022, 12:03 pm

amother OP wrote:

I recently found out that my grandmother's grandmother's name was Shaindel Mattel. What is "Mattel"? Is it Meital?

Mattel is my middle name. It's my understanding that Mattel is the female name corresponding to the male name Mottel, the Yiddish equivalent of Mordechai.

agreer

Sun, Dec 11 2022, 12:42 pm

Tel Tzion Ima wrote:

Mattel is my middle name. It's my understanding that Mattel is the female name corresponding to the male name Mottel, the Yiddish equivalent of Mordechai.

Mordechai is basically the male version of Miriam - both have the root "bitter"

So it's like what PP said - Mattel is a version of Miriam.

amother

Raspberry

Sun, Dec 11 2022, 12:52 pm

This is my daughter's name. I did research and was told it was the Yiddish version of Mathilda. My great grandmother's secular name was Mathilda.

amother

Strawberry

Sun, Dec 03 2023, 10:07 am

amother Raspberry wrote:

This is my daughter's name. I did research and was told it was the Yiddish version of Mathilda. My great grandmother's secular name was Mathilda.

Yes to this. The only person that I know with this name, is secularly named Mathilde.

Tel Tzion Ima

Sun, Dec 03 2023, 10:29 am

amother Strawberry wrote:

Yes to this. The only person that I know with this name, is secularly named Mathilde.

I know Mattels whose English/secular names are Michelle and Maxine. It's not uncommon to go for a name that starts with the same letter, whether the meaning matches up or not.

The baby name book that we have says that Mordechai means warrior, as does Mottel, and that Mattel means Brave.

According to a Google search, Matilda is of German origin and means mighty in battle.

amother

DarkViolet

Sun, Dec 03 2023, 10:43 am

Tel Tzion Ima wrote:

Mattel is my middle name. It's my understanding that Mattel is the female name corresponding to the male name Mottel, the Yiddish equivalent of Mordechai.

Also my middle name and I was told the same thing

Tslev

Wed, Dec 27 2023, 11:34 am

My grandmother was Mattel on her ketubah and nicknamed Mati and her English name was Martha. She was named after a Mordechai, we think. Her grandfather was Mordechai. I asked a Chabad rabbi and he said the name Mattel is taken from the name Matrona, which a word used in the Talmud. He did say it’s both a French and Jewish word. It’s also listed that way on the Chabad website of Jewish female baby names. I’m hoping it comes from Miryam as I’d like to use that name. I’m not a fan of Matrona. They don’t list it as a traditional Biblical name either. I read once that the Mar in Martha also means bitter like the mir in Miriam. I’m looking forward to seeing what other people think.