Mathaniel is an uncommon yet distinctive given name of Hebrew origin, meaning 'gift from God'. It is a variant spelling of Matthias, which itself is derived from the Aramaic name Matityahu. In the New Testament, Matthew, also known as Levi, was one of the twelve apostles and the author of the first Gospel.
"The name Mathaniel experienced fluctuations in popularity over this period, with the highest number of births occurring in 1983 (7) and the lowest in 1985 and 1987 (both 5). The total number of births named Mathaniel during these years was 29."