Because one of the two historical figures named
Mettius was Sabine, while the other was Latin, the praenomen may have been an ancient one common to both the Latin and Oscan languages. Its meaning remains obscure; it was not mentioned by either Varro or Festus, and Chase has nothing to say about the name.
Scullard equates the name with the Oscan word
meddix, apparently a cognate of the Latin
magister. If this is correct, then the name would belong to a class of praenomina including the Etruscan
Arruns and
Lars, which were derived from words meaning
prince and
lord, respectively. Although known from only a handful of examples in Latin, the praenomen Mettius was borrowed by the Etruscans, in whose language it became
Metie. == References ==