Mateo Boy

Popularity: #8 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: mah-TEH-oh /məˈteɪ.oʊ/

Origin: Spanish; Italian

Meaning: Spanish: gift of God; Italian: derived from Matthew

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Mateo is derived from the Hebrew name Matityahu, meaning "gift of God." This name was adapted into Greek as Matthaios and subsequently into Latin as Matthaeus. The transition into the Romance languages occurred through the Old French form, which influenced the Spanish Mateo.

This linguistic evolution highlights the name's deep roots in biblical tradition, as it is associated with Saint Matthew, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus and the author of the Gospel of Matthew, which is a significant text in Christian scripture dating back to the 1st century CE. Historically, the name Mateo has been borne by various notable figures, particularly in the context of Christianity.

Saint Matthew, celebrated on September 21, became a prominent figure in the early church, and his feast day has been recognized since at least the 4th century. The name's biblical association contributed to its use across different cultures and languages, especially in regions influenced by Christianity.

The Vulgate, a late 4th-century Latin translation of the Bible, further solidified the name's presence in Western Christian tradition. Culturally, Mateo carries connotations of faith and divine favor, resonating with the idea of being a gift from God.

This significance has allowed the name to endure through centuries, often appearing in religious texts, art, and literature. In Spanish-speaking cultures, Mateo is sometimes used in conjunction with diminutives like Matías, which also has biblical roots.

The name's historical and cultural resonance has ensured its continued relevance, reflecting a blend of linguistic heritage and spiritual significance.

Famous people named Mateo

In this section, you will find notable people named Mateo. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Mateo who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Mateo who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Mateo Kovačić is a professional footballer best known for playing with Chelsea, Real Madrid, and the Croatian national team.

Mateo Messina is a composer best known for his work on films such as The Last House on the Left, The Conjuring, and The Nun.

Fictional characters named Mateo

The following list of fictional characters named Mateo is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Mateo is a fictional character from the TV series The Good Place. He is a resident of the afterlife who navigates the complexities of morality and personal growth.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Mateo, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

LucasNicoSofiaIsabellaDiegoElena

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Mateo. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

MatiasMatteoMiloMarcoMarioMasonMarek

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Mateo was first seen in the United States in 1904.

Mateo has ranked as high as #13 nationally, which occurred in 2024, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Florida, Illinois, and New York.

In the past 5 years the name Mateo has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Mateo is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Mateo was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Mateo.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 11,057 11,045 12
2024 11,355 11,349 6
2023 11,311 11,293 18
2022 10,402 10,397 5
2021 9,187 9,181 6
2020 9,015 9,007 8
2019 9,022 9,022 0
2018 8,221 8,221 0
2017 7,783 7,774 9
2016 6,559 6,559 0
2015 5,036 5,029 7
2014 3,748 3,743 5
2013 3,597 3,588 9
2012 2,840 2,840 0
2011 2,204 2,204 0
2010 1,624 1,624 0
2009 1,594 1,594 0
2008 1,408 1,408 0
2007 1,227 1,227 0
2006 1,270 1,270 0
2005 1,089 1,089 0
2004 961 961 0
2003 876 876 0
2002 766 766 0
2001 727 727 0
2000 572 572 0
1999 577 577 0
1998 409 409 0
1997 340 340 0
1996 232 232 0
1995 125 125 0
1994 83 83 0
1993 63 63 0
1992 60 60 0
1991 65 65 0
1990 56 56 0
1989 52 52 0
1988 40 40 0
1987 38 38 0
1986 21 21 0
1985 46 46 0
1984 42 42 0
1983 45 45 0
1982 34 34 0
1981 30 30 0
1980 22 22 0
1979 31 31 0
1978 38 38 0
1977 36 36 0
1976 24 24 0
1975 42 42 0
1974 26 26 0
1973 23 23 0
1972 28 28 0
1971 18 18 0
1970 19 19 0
1969 27 27 0
1968 12 12 0
1967 13 13 0
1966 11 11 0
1964 11 11 0
1961 14 14 0
1960 14 14 0
1959 17 17 0
1958 7 7 0
1957 13 13 0
1956 16 16 0
1955 14 14 0
1953 16 16 0
1952 9 9 0
1951 10 10 0
1950 14 14 0
1949 12 12 0
1948 11 11 0
1947 9 9 0
1946 14 14 0
1945 13 13 0
1944 8 8 0
1943 14 14 0
1942 8 8 0
1941 11 11 0
1940 12 12 0
1939 11 11 0
1938 13 13 0
1937 6 6 0
1936 8 8 0
1935 12 12 0
1934 12 12 0
1932 11 11 0
1931 11 11 0
1930 18 18 0
1929 25 25 0
1928 10 10 0
1927 16 16 0
1926 17 17 0
1925 12 12 0
1924 18 18 0
1923 15 15 0
1922 16 16 0
1921 8 8 0
1920 25 25 0
1919 14 14 0
1918 12 12 0
1916 15 15 0
1914 6 6 0
1913 9 9 0
1912 7 7 0
1904 5 5 0

Top States for Mateo (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 2,360
21%
TX 2,087
18%
FL 802
7%
IL 476
4%
AZ 420
4%
NY 398
4%
NC 317
3%
GA 282
2%
NJ 260
2%
WA 253
2%
CO 223
2%
VA 210
2%
IN 190
2%
NV 187
2%
PA 176
2%
OH 174
2%
MD 165
1%
TN 164
1%
MI 162
1%
MA 153
1%
WI 134
1%
UT 133
1%
OR 132
1%
MN 111
1%
MO 106
1%
OK 101
1%
CT 96
1%
NM 96
1%
KS 91
1%
AR 85
1%
SC 84
1%
IA 84
1%
NE 72
1%
KY 70
1%
LA 70
1%
AL 69
1%
ID 61
1%
MS 28
0%
RI 28
0%
DC 27
0%
DE 27
0%
HI 27
0%
SD 20
0%
NH 15
0%
MT 15
0%
AK 14
0%
ND 14
0%
WV 11
0%
ME 10
0%