Matteo is an Italian name of Latin origin, derived from the Late Latin word 'Matthaeus', which means "gift of God". It is often associated with Matthew, one of the twelve apostles in Christianity and also the author of the first Gospel in the New Testament. The name Matteo gained popularity in Italy during the Middle Ages and has since spread throughout Europe and beyond.
In Italian, the name Matteo is pronounced [matˈtɛːo], with the stress on the second syllable. It is often shortened to familiar forms like Matte or Mattè. In English, it is commonly pronounced as /məˈtiːoʊ/ or /məˈteɪoʊ/, with the stress typically on the first syllable.
Notable individuals named Matteo include Matteo Ricci (1552-1610), an Italian Jesuit missionary who introduced Western science and culture to China, and Matteo Renzi (born 1975), an Italian politician who served as Prime Minister of Italy from 2014 to 2018. Additionally, Matteo is the name of several Italian football players, such as Matteo Darmian and Matteo Politano.
The name Matteo has also appeared in literature and popular culture, including works by Dante Alighieri (e.g., "Matteo di Wallucio" in his poem "Purgatorio") and Dan Brown's novel "Angels & Demons". It is a unisex name in Italian, although it is more commonly used for males.
"Matteo saw a dip in popularity from 2014 to 2018 with only 5 births each year, but it picked back up in 2023 with 6 births. In total, there were 16 babies named Matteo born during these years."