Fun Facts About the Name Mateo
- A newer favorite: Mateo first entered the U.S. top 100 in 2015 and stayed there through 2025 - a run of 11 consecutive years.
- More than 126 thousand babies named Mateo: U.S. records list 126,698 babies given the name Mateo from 1880 through 2025. Even 85 girls received the name Mateo - about 1 girl for every 1,490 boys.
What Does the Name Mateo Mean?
Mateo is the Spanish form of the name that appears in English as Matthew. It comes from the Hebrew name Mattityahu (מַתִּתְיָהוּ), usually translated "gift of God" or "gift of the Lord." The Hebrew name is formed from mattan or matat, meaning "gift," and Yah, a shortened form of the divine name YHWH. In Greek, the name became Maththaios (Μαθθαῖος), and in Latin it became Matthaeus. Spanish Mateo developed from that Latin form, not from English Matthew, though the two are cognates.
The literal sense is "gift of Yahweh," with the divine name conventionally rendered as "God" or "Lord" in English. The name should not be confused with similar-sounding names such as Matías or Mattias, which have their own histories.
Mateo Name History & Origins
The Hebrew name Mattityahu was used in ancient Israel and appears in the Hebrew Bible. A prominent early bearer was Mattathias, the priest who, according to 1 Maccabees, resisted Seleucid rule and sparked the Maccabean revolt. In the New Testament, the apostle Matthew - also called Levi - bears the Greek form Maththaios. The Gospel of Matthew is attributed to him, and his feast day became part of Christian worship.
As Christianity spread through the Greek-speaking and Latin-speaking Mediterranean, the name passed into Latin as Matthaeus. From Latin it entered the Romance languages: Spanish Mateo, Portuguese Mateus, Catalan Mateu, Italian Matteo, and French Mathieu. The Spanish form Mateo has been used in Spain and, later, throughout Spanish-speaking parts of the Americas. In Spanish Bibles, the Gospel of Matthew is called el Evangelio de Mateo, and place names such as San Mateo reflect the saint's name. In English-speaking settings, Mateo is also used alongside Matthew, especially where Spanish is spoken.
How Popular is the Name Mateo?
Mateo recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2024. Mateo entered the top 100 U.S. boy names in 2015.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #8,679 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2024 | #14,592 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2023 | #6,573 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 2022 | #16,855 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2021 | #14,637 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2020 | #11,755 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2017 | #11,291 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2015 | #13,963 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2014 | #18,286 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2013 | #11,635 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #8 | 11,045 | 0.6466% |
| 2024 | #7 | 11,302 | 0.6589% |
| 2023 | #6 | 11,279 | 0.6602% |
| 2022 | #11 | 10,389 | 0.5956% |
| 2021 | #15 | 9,177 | 0.5249% |
| 2020 | #20 | 9,004 | 0.5220% |
| 2019 | #26 | 9,019 | 0.5029% |
| 2018 | #37 | 8,221 | 0.4528% |
| 2017 | #42 | 7,774 | 0.4201% |
| 2016 | #59 | 6,558 | 0.3457% |
| 2015 | #85 | 5,029 | 0.2624% |
| 2014 | #106 | 3,743 | 0.1949% |
| 2013 | #109 | 3,588 | 0.1897% |
| 2012 | #137 | 2,840 | 0.1497% |
| 2011 | #171 | 2,204 | 0.1161% |
| 2010 | #222 | 1,624 | 0.0847% |
| 2009 | #229 | 1,594 | 0.0804% |
| 2008 | #249 | 1,408 | 0.0690% |
| 2007 | #281 | 1,227 | 0.0591% |
| 2006 | #273 | 1,270 | 0.0618% |
| 2005 | #302 | 1,089 | 0.0545% |
| 2004 | #320 | 961 | 0.0484% |
| 2003 | #331 | 876 | 0.0443% |
| 2002 | #354 | 766 | 0.0395% |
| 2001 | #367 | 727 | 0.0374% |
| 2000 | #428 | 572 | 0.0291% |
| 1999 | #409 | 577 | 0.0301% |
| 1998 | #513 | 409 | 0.0214% |
| 1997 | #560 | 340 | 0.0180% |
| 1996 | #697 | 231 | 0.0122% |
| 1995 | #996 | 125 | 0.0066% |
| 1994 | #1,286 | 83 | 0.0043% |
| 1993 | #1,467 | 64 | 0.0033% |
| 1992 | #1,507 | 60 | 0.0030% |
| 1991 | #1,419 | 65 | 0.0032% |
| 1990 | #1,525 | 56 | 0.0027% |
| 1989 | #1,560 | 52 | 0.0026% |
| 1988 | #1,756 | 40 | 0.0021% |
| 1987 | #1,746 | 38 | 0.0020% |
| 1986 | #2,578 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 1985 | #1,465 | 46 | 0.0025% |
| 1984 | #1,497 | 42 | 0.0023% |
| 1983 | #1,415 | 45 | 0.0025% |
| 1982 | #1,723 | 34 | 0.0019% |
| 1981 | #1,885 | 30 | 0.0017% |
| 1980 | #2,335 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 1979 | #1,815 | 31 | 0.0018% |
| 1978 | #1,521 | 38 | 0.0023% |
| 1977 | #1,562 | 36 | 0.0022% |
| 1976 | #2,035 | 24 | 0.0015% |
| 1975 | #1,353 | 42 | 0.0027% |
| 1974 | #1,818 | 26 | 0.0017% |
| 1973 | #1,909 | 23 | 0.0015% |
| 1972 | #1,668 | 28 | 0.0017% |
| 1971 | #2,245 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1970 | #2,102 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1969 | #1,590 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 1968 | #2,534 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1967 | #2,310 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1966 | #2,573 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1964 | #2,619 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1961 | #2,300 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1960 | #2,276 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1959 | #2,018 | 17 | 0.0008% |
| 1958 | #3,469 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1957 | #2,344 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 1956 | #2,062 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1955 | #2,196 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1953 | #2,010 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1952 | #2,809 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1951 | #2,596 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1950 | #2,082 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1949 | #2,298 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1948 | #2,401 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1947 | #2,800 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1946 | #1,998 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 1945 | #1,985 | 13 | 0.0010% |
| 1944 | #2,778 | 8 | 0.0006% |
| 1943 | #2,048 | 14 | 0.0010% |
| 1942 | #2,861 | 8 | 0.0006% |
| 1941 | #2,287 | 11 | 0.0009% |
| 1940 | #2,151 | 12 | 0.0010% |
| 1939 | #2,250 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1938 | #2,063 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1937 | #3,388 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1936 | #2,780 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1935 | #2,204 | 12 | 0.0012% |
| 1934 | #2,207 | 12 | 0.0012% |
| 1932 | #2,412 | 11 | 0.0011% |
| 1931 | #2,420 | 11 | 0.0011% |
| 1930 | #1,793 | 18 | 0.0016% |
| 1929 | #1,468 | 25 | 0.0023% |
| 1928 | #2,777 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1927 | #2,098 | 16 | 0.0014% |
| 1926 | #1,957 | 17 | 0.0015% |
| 1925 | #2,541 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1924 | #1,943 | 18 | 0.0016% |
| 1923 | #2,193 | 15 | 0.0014% |
| 1922 | #2,110 | 16 | 0.0015% |
| 1921 | #3,398 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1920 | #1,533 | 25 | 0.0023% |
| 1919 | #2,223 | 14 | 0.0014% |
| 1918 | #2,484 | 12 | 0.0012% |
| 1916 | #2,015 | 15 | 0.0017% |
| 1914 | #3,130 | 6 | 0.0009% |
| 1913 | #2,039 | 9 | 0.0018% |
| 1912 | #2,176 | 7 | 0.0016% |
| 1904 | #1,333 | 5 | 0.0039% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Mateo
Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.
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How the Name Mateo Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have psychic power. You can carry on for others with joy. You have a receptive nature and may bear burdens for others. You are pragmatic, thorough, strong-willed, practical and stubborn at times. You are hard working, often martyr to duty. You like home and security above all. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Mateo's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Mateo's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.