Find out how popular the first name Mateo has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Mateo by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Mateo is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 100% of people named Mateo being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 11,229 male babies and 18 female babies born with the name Mateo.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 18 baby girls were named Mateo in 2023, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!

The history of the first name Mateo

The name Mateo has its origins in the Hebrew name Mattityahu, which means "gift of God." It is the Spanish and Italian equivalent of the English name Matthew. The name was popularized by the New Testament figure, Saint Matthew, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ and the author of the Gospel of Matthew.

Mateo is derived from the Hebrew word "mattath," meaning "gift," and the name of the Hebrew God, "Yahweh." The name was brought to Europe through the Roman Empire and the spread of Christianity. It became popular throughout the Mediterranean region, particularly in Italy and Spain.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Mateo can be found in the writings of the ancient Roman historian, Suetonius, who lived from around 69 to 122 AD. He referred to a Roman soldier named Mattheus who served under the Emperor Domitian.

In the Middle Ages, the name Mateo gained prominence with the rise of Christianity. Several notable figures bore this name, including Mateo Renaldo (1195-1262), an Italian jurist and scholar, and Mateo de Bassio (1420-1497), an Italian painter and architect.

During the Renaissance period, the name Mateo was associated with several influential figures, such as Mateo Ricci (1552-1610), an Italian Jesuit priest and one of the founding figures of the Catholic missions in China, and Mateo Alemán (1547-1615), a Spanish novelist and author of the picaresque novel "Guzmán de Alfarache."

In the 17th century, Mateo Vázquez de Leca (1564-1649), a Spanish statesman and secretary to King Philip III of Spain, played a significant role in the Spanish court. Another notable figure was Mateo Preti (1613-1699), an Italian Baroque painter known for his religious works and portraiture.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, several notable figures bore the name Mateo, including Mateo Seoane (1768-1809), a Spanish military officer and guerrilla leader during the Peninsular War against Napoleon's forces, and Mateo Máximo Guillermo Braulio (1774-1847), a Venezuelan military leader and hero of the Venezuelan War of Independence.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Mateo was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Mateo, please contact us.

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