Meaning & Origin
a male given name
Mads is a boy's baby name of Hebrew origin, the Danish and Norwegian short form of Mathias or Matteus, ultimately from the Hebrew Mattityahu, meaning 'gift of God.' Mads is one of the most common given names in Denmark.
Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen — acclaimed for Hannibal, the Bond villain in Casino Royale, and Another Round — gave this Scandinavian classic its most globally visible contemporary face. Short, confident, and completely distinctive to English ears, Mads has the minimalist Danish cool that parents drawn to Nordic names increasingly love.