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Mateo

ma-TAY-o
Spanish
"gift of God"
Madison Dresler
By Madison Dresler
Updated Mon Jul 14 2025

Mateo Origin and Meaning

The name Mateo is a boy's name of Spanish, Italian, Latin origin meaning "gift of God".

Mateo is a Latinate name that like Mia and Luca, is becoming popular far beyond its native Spanish community. With its fresh feel and charm, it made a surprise entrance to the boys' Top 10 in 2023.

The Spanish form of Matthew, which derived from the Hebrew name Mattiyahu, Mateo can also be spelled Matteo, technically the Italian variation. Mattiyahu consists of the elements mattan, meaning "gift" and yah, which references the Hebrew God.

Mateo is enormously popular in Spain and Latin America, but it's also a top boys' name in the US along with several other countries in central and eastern Europe. Its approachable spelling and pronunciation for non-Spanish speakers is one reason it's found such widespread favor. Plus it's a fresh spin on dad name Matthew and a shortcut to the stylish short form Teo.

Counting Mateo and Teo along with the similar sounding Theodore and Theo, it's clear parents are loving that eo sound at the moment. More than 11300 babies where given the name Mateo in 2024, while the similar Matteo and Matheo also made the Top 1000.

Actor Colin Firth has a son called Matteo, the Italian form; the Benjamin Bratts have a Mateo.

Matheo is an archaic Spanish spelling, although it is used in France as Mathéo.

# 7 in the US

Mateo Rank in US Top 1000

# 3 on Nameberry

Mateo Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Popularity of the name Mateo

20 Names Similar to Mateo

These 20 names were selected by our users that were looking for other names like Mateo.

Famous People Named Mateo

  • Mateo Gil (Rodri­guez)
    Spanish film director
  • Mateo Alemán (y de Enero)
    Spanish novelist
  • Mateo Kovacic‡
    Croatian footballer
  • Mateo (born Iman Jordan)
    American pop singer,songwriter
  • Mateo Pablo Musacchio
    Argentine footballer
  • Mateo Bravery Bratt (b. 2005)
    son of actors Benjamin Bratt and Talisa Soto
  • Mateo Lev Colicchio
    son of celebrity chef Tom Colicchio
  • Mateo Jay Thompson (b. 2007)
    son of weather forecaster Audrey Puente; grandson of bandleader Tito Puente
  • Mateo Dragić (b. 2013)
    son of basketball player Goran Dragić
  • Mateo Gago (b. 2013)
    son of footballer Fernando Gago and tennis player Gisela Dulko
  • Mateo Hindoyan (b. 2014)
    son of soprano Sonya Yoncheva and conductor Domingo Hindoyan
  • Mateo Messi (b. 2015)
    son of footballer Lionel Messi
  • Mateo dos Santos (b. 2017)
    son of footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, twin of sister Eva

The name Mateo in Pop Culture

  • Mateo Santos
    character on American soap "All My Children"
  • Mateo Gloriano Rogelio Solano Villanueva
    son of Jane and Rafael on the series Jane the Virgin
  • Mateo Fernando Aquino Liwanag
    character on TV's "Superstore"
  • Mateo de Alva
    character on TV's "Elena of Avalor"

International Variations of the name Mateo

  • Matteo
    Spanish
  • Matejo
    Spanish
  • Matheo
    Spanish
  • Mattheo
    Spanish
  • Teo
    Spanish

The name Mateo in Nameberry Blog Posts