Mateo Name Meaning: Gender, History & Sibling Names

What Does Mateo Mean?

Mateo is an adorable name with Spanish origins. It is also incredibly popular in Croatia, and the form “Matteo” is the Italian version. Mateo is traditionally a male name, and as the Spanish version of the Hebrew name Matthew, it translates to mean “gift of God.”

Matthew was one of the original 12 disciples in the New Testament of the Bible. Matthew was a tax collector and authored the first of the four gospel books in the Bible.

What Is the Origin of the Name Mateo?

Mateo is the Spanish version of the name Matthew, which comes from the Bible. In the Bible, Saint Matthew was a tax collector in Capernaum. He authored the first book of the New Testament, one of the most popular books in the Bible.

Mateo comes from this Hebrew boy name. It is the Latin alternative to Matthew, from the Hebrew “Mattiyahu.” The first known use of the name is not recorded, but the name Matthew became truly popular sometime in the 13th century ⁽¹⁾.

How Popular Is the Name Mateo?

At present, Mateo is a trendy name. Since 2017 Mateo has claimed a spot in the top 50, and since 2011 it has been within the top 200 most popular names.

Several countries in the Western Hemisphere have Mateo as one of their most popular names. It’s one of the most famous Spanish names for boys in the United States.

The name has been steadily increasing in popularity in the United States since the mid-1990s. With over 70,000 babies born in Arizona in 2020, Mateo was the fourth most popular name in Arizona. It came in only behind Liam, Noah, and Oliver.

How Do I Pronounce Mateo?

Mateo is pronounced, “ma-TAY-oh.” It is not pronounced “MA-teeoh” or “MUH-ta-oh.” The only correct way to pronounce the name is “ma-TAY-oh,” with a slight emphasis on the second syllable.

Is Mateo a Boy or Girl Name?

As the Spanish version of the boy’s name Matthew, Mateo is traditionally a male name. However, some variations and similar names might be suitable for females. For example, Matea is a famous female variation.

Variations of Mateo

Mateo is the Spanish version of the Hebrew name Matthew. Even as a derivative of another name, Mateo still has some popular variations. The most popular variation is the Italian version, Matteo.

Some other variations of Mateo include:

• Maitias (Celtic)
• Mathias (Scandinavian)
• Mathéo (French)
• Matias
• Mattathias (Greek)
• Matteus (Portuguese)
• Matthaeus (German)
• Matthias
• Matvei (Russian)

Nicknames for Mateo

It isn’t always easy to find a good nickname, especially for a short name like Mateo. And sometimes parents prefer it if you don’t nickname their child. However, Mateo has a few popular nicknames that work well.

Some nicknames for Mateo include:

• Mat
• Matt
• Matti
• Mays
• Maz
• Mo
• Tato
• Tay
• Teo
• Theo
• Tias
• Ty

Similar Names to Mateo

There are a few names out there that are similar to Mateo. Some of the most popular searches from people looking for a similar name to Mateo include:

• Elio
• Emilio
• Diego
• Isaac
• Juan
• Leonardo
• Lorenzo
• Maceo
• Makaio
• Marciano
• Massimo
• Mattie
• Nicholas
• Otis
• Santiago

Middle Names for Mateo

Sometimes picking out a middle name is even more complicated than picking the first name. For a name like Mateo, there are plenty of great options that you can choose from, including:

• Alan
• Antonio
• Benjamin
• Clement
• Damarius
• Dawson
• Deangelo
• Drake
• Elliott
• Finn
• George
• Grant
• Hadrian
• Harrison
• Louis
• Luke
• Martin
• Morrison
• Nicholas
• Rafael
• Rhodes
• Samuel
• Sebastian
• Sullivan
• Wyatt

Sibling Names for Mateo

If you plan on using the name Mateo, you probably want to have a few other names picked out. Matching sibling names is a great way to build love between brothers and sisters.

Some of the best brother names for Mateo are:

• Elias
• Emilio
• Daniel
• Diego
• Francesco
• Oliver
• Tomás

And some of the best sister names for Mateo include:

• Adrian
• Amelia
• Camila
• Cecilia
• Emma
• Ida
• Isidora
• Maria
• Sofia
• Valentina

Famous People Named Mateo

There have been many famous Mateos throughout history. Today, the name Mateo is perhaps best known for Mateo Messina, an American composer who created the soundtrack for the film 2007 “Juno.”

Some other famous Mateos include:

• Mateo Cassierra: Colombian football (soccer) striker.
• Mateo Chiarino: Uruguayan actor, writer.
• Mateo Correa Magallanes: Mexican Catholic priest, martyr.
• Mateo de Angulo: Colombian swimmer.
• Mateo Delmastro: Argentine badminton player.
• Mateo Gil: Spanish film director.
• Mateo Gucci: Polish-Italian architect from the Renaissance.
• Mateo Martinic: Chilean historian and politician.
• Matéo Mornar: French scultpor.
• Mateo Pumacahua: Peruvian revolutionary from the 18th century.
• Mateo Restrepo: Canadian soccer player.
• Mateo Romero: Spanish composer from the Baroque period.

Mateo in Popular Culture

The name Mateo appears in popular culture on a semi-regular basis. There are a few popular books and TV shows that have a character named Mateo in them.

Some examples of Mateo showing up in popular culture include:

• Mateo: Character in the 2002 movie “America.”
• Mateo de Alva: A character from the Disney movie “Elena and the Secret of Avalor.”
• Mateo Liwanag: Character from NBC show “Superstore.”
• Mateo Santos: Character on the soap opera “All My Children.”
• Mateo Solano Villanueva: Character on The CW show “Jane the Virgin.”

Mateo FAQs

Here are some of the common questions that arise when people are considering the name Mateo.