Thaddaios is the original Greek form of the name Thaddeus, appearing in the New Testament as the name of one of the twelve apostles (Matthew 10:3). The name is a direct transliteration of the Aramaic name Ṯaddai, which itself may be derived from the Aramaic word taḏ meaning "heart" or "breast." However, some scholars suggest it might ultimately be a Semitic rendering of a Greek name like Theodore.
Biblical Context
In the Gospels, Thaddaios is listed among the twelve apostles, but his identity is ambiguous. In some passages (e.g., Luke 6:16 and John 14:22), a different name—Jude (or Judas)—appears in the same apostolic list, leading to the common Christian tradition that Thaddaeus and Jude are the same person. Accordingly, the apostle is often called Jude Thaddaeus in later Church tradition to reconcile the texts.
Related Names
Thaddaios has several cognate forms across other languages. In Biblical Latin it appears as Thaddaeus, from which the English name Thaddeus is derived. Slavic languages use forms such as Tadija (Serbian) and Tadeáš (Slovak). Diminutives include Tad and Thad in English.
- Meaning: "heart" or "breast" (possible), or possibly a form of Theodore
- Origin: Greek (from Aramaic), via the New Testament
- Type: Apostolic name
- Usage: Biblical Greek, with cognates in Latin, English, and Slavic languages