Mateja is of Slavic origin, specifically from Croatia and Slovenia, where it is considered a feminine given name. It is derived from the male name Matija, which itself comes from the Latin 'Matthew'. The name Mateja means 'gift of God' or 'gifted by God', reflecting its religious origins. It is often used interchangeably with its variant forms such as Mateja and Mathea in other European countries.
The name Mateja saw its most popular years between 2004 and 2006, with 13 births each year during that period. However, there was a noticeable decline afterwards, with only 7 births recorded in both 2007 and 2008. Overall, from 1988 to 2008, there were a total of 67 babies named Mateja.