Baby Name of the Day: Matteo

The baby name Matteo or Mateo takes traditional Matthew in an on-trend, romance language direction.

Thanks to Marta for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.

WHAT DOES THE NAME MATTEO MEAN?

Let’s begin with Matthew.

Saint Matthew was one of the twelve apostles, a witness to the Resurrection of Jesus, author of the New Testament’s Gospel of Matthew.

It’s a Hebrew name meaning “gift of God” or “gift of Yahweh.”

Strictly speaking, the original name was Mattithiah, mentioned a few times in the Old Testament. It led to the Greek Matthaios and Latin name Matthaeus. 

The New Testament’s Matthew comes from those longer names. So do Matthias, Matias, and plenty of other international forms of the name.

Given the popularity of the apostles’ names, it’s not surprising some form of Matthew or Matteo appears in nearly every European language. The reach of Christianity in naming is considerable. 

There’s the French Matthieu, Russian Matvei, Danish Mads, Spanish Mateo, and, of course, the Italian Matteo. 

Matthew ranked in the US Top Ten from 1974 through 2007, a Biblical boy name with a long history of use.

The Italian form of Matthew has been a 21st century favorite. More about popularity in a minute.

FAMOUS PEOPLE

We can all name a famous Matthew, from actors like McConaughey and Damon to historical figures like Commodore Perry. Many of these figures answer to Matt rather than Matthew in full.

Matteo and Mateo offer every bit as much history. Notable bearers of the name Mateo or Matteo include:

• Matteo Visconti ruled Milan in the 1300s.
• In the sixteenth century, Matteo Ricci was one of the first Jesuit priests to serve in China. 
• Field Marshal Mateo de Toro Zambrano became the first president of newly independent Chile in 1810.

The list goes on and on, with athletes, composers, artists, and more adding to the list over the centuries.

During the 2010s, Matteo Renzi served as prime minister of Italy. 

ENDS WITH O

The baby name Matteo succeeds for its history and meaning, but also for its sound.

We love a good o ending boy name. Just ask Leo, Theo, Milo, or Arlo.

They make great crossover names, too. Spanish language favorites like Thiago, Leonardo, and Santiago all wear well in the US. Others of Italian origin include Enzo and Lorenzo, as well as Alessandro and Alessio, Marco, Giorgio, and Giacomo. 

English-speaking countries have embraced many of these, including Matteo and Mateo. 

ONE T or TWO?

On paper, the single T spelling is Spanish, while the TT version is reserved for Italian. It’s not necessarily that straightforward, and plenty of English-speaking families choose the name for all sorts of reasons. 

Celebrities from Colin Firth to Ricky Martin have given the name to their sons, a mix of single-T and double-T spellings.

It’s worth noting that the single T spelling is common throughout the Spanish-speaking world, while while the double T Matteo is popular in Italy today.

HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME MATTEO?

In recent years, romance language spellings of boy’s names have surged in popularity.

In the United States as of 2024:

• Mateo ranks a sky-high #7, far and away the most popular of the Mat names
• Matthew holds on at #33
• The double-T spelling Matteo ranks a respectable #138
• Matias comes in at #158
• Mathias follows, ranked #337
• Rounding out the US Top 1000 are Matthias at #47, Matheo at #856, and Mathew coming in at #939

Across gender lines, Mat names include Matilda, which might share nicknames like Mat and Mattie. Matea and Mattea are two more feminine forms, but neither ranks in the current US Top 1000.

Globally, Mateo is a among the most popular names in obvious places, like Argentina and Spain. But it’s also trending in Austria and Switzerland. In France, it outranks traditional Mathieu.

Also worth noting: Mateo might short to Teo, which is also given as an independent name and ranks in the US Top 1000. Similar names like Teodoro are also heard, especially in Spanish-speaking countries.

INTERNATIONAL FAVORITE

The baby name Matteo – with one T or two – bridges a gap between the traditional Matthew and 21st century favorites like Milo. It’s spans cultures effortlessly, a name that works equally well in Spanish and English, and would be recognized all over the world. 

The only problem, of course, is that there are so very many boys with Matt names, many of them Mateo or Matteo already, that your son might have to share.

Would you consider the baby name Matteo for a son? Do you prefer it with one T or two? 

First published on December 7, 2011, this post was revised on August 1, 2020 and September 11, 2025.