Meaning & History
Mahé is the French form of Mazhe, the Breton form of Matthew. The name thus ultimately derives from the Hebrew Mattithiah, meaning “gift of Yahweh,” through the Greek Matthaios and the English Matthew. In the New Testament, Matthew (also called Levi) is one of the twelve apostles, a tax collector who became an evangelist traditionally credited with the first Gospel.
In Brittany (Breizh), the closest native form Mazhe arose from the Breton language's adaptation of the Greek and Latin Matthew forms. The French spelling Mahé, which originally represented that Breton pronunciation, later became established as a French name in its own right, particularly in Brittany and among families with Breton heritage.
Also called Maé or Mathieu/Matthieu in other usages, the name has mostly been used for boys, especially in 20th- and 21st-century France. However, it also carries homonymy with the Seychellois island Mahé, named after the French governor Bertrand-François Mahé de La Bourdonnais, a connection that adds a historical‑colonial aftertone.
Notable Bearers
- Bertrand-François Mahé de La Bourdonnais (1699–1753), French naval commander and governor of Isle de France (Mauritius), after whom the Seychelles island was named.
- Several French‐Breton political and cultural figures, including Mahé de Villeneuve (names less famous in English‐language sources).
Related Names
Sources: Wikipedia — Mahé