Fun Facts About the Name Mateus
- 993 babies named Mateus: U.S. records list 993 babies given the name Mateus from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Mateus Mean?
Mateus is the Portuguese form of Matthew. It goes back to Latin Matthaeus, which was borrowed from Greek Maththaios (Ματθαῖος), and that in turn from the Hebrew name Mattityahu (מַתִּתְיָהוּ). The Hebrew name is traditionally explained as "gift of Yahweh," built from mattan, "gift," and Yah, a shortened form of the divine name. The meaning is a statement about God's gift, not a description of the person who bears the name.
Because Mateus is a variant of Matthew, it carries the same meaning as the parent name; Portuguese did not give it a separate sense. The change from Latin Matthaeus to Portuguese Mateus follows the ordinary development of the language, in which the written -th- was simplified and the Latin ending -aeus became -eus.
Mateus Name History & Origins
The Hebrew name Mattityahu was in use long before the Christian era. It appears in the Hebrew Bible as the name of several Levites, and its Greek form Mattathias was borne by the father of Judas Maccabeus in the second century BCE.
The name then spread through the Greek New Testament, where the apostle Matthew, a tax collector called by Jesus, is named Maththaios. The Gospel of Matthew carries his name, and Christian speakers of Greek and later Latin took the name into their own languages: Matthaeus in Latin, and from it Mateus in Portuguese, alongside Mateo in Spanish, Matteo in Italian, Mathieu in French, Mateusz in Polish, Matouš in Czech, and Matthew in English.
In Portugal and Brazil, Mateus has long been a common given name, and Portuguese emigrants carried it to other countries. It also appears in place names honoring Saint Matthew, such as São Mateus in the Azores and São Mateus in the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo. The name is used as a surname as well.
How Popular is the Name Mateus?
Mateus has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2007. Its best rank was #2,465 in 2007.
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 | #2,824 | 45 | 0.0026% |
| 2024 | #3,019 | 41 | 0.0024% |
| 2023 | #2,675 | 49 | 0.0029% |
| 2022 | #3,192 | 38 | 0.0022% |
| 2021 | #2,574 | 51 | 0.0029% |
| 2020 | #2,909 | 41 | 0.0024% |
| 2019 | #2,750 | 46 | 0.0026% |
| 2018 | #2,600 | 49 | 0.0027% |
| 2017 | #2,745 | 45 | 0.0024% |
| 2016 | #3,096 | 38 | 0.0020% |
| 2015 | #3,130 | 37 | 0.0019% |
| 2014 | #2,871 | 41 | 0.0021% |
| 2013 | #3,316 | 33 | 0.0017% |
| 2012 | #3,680 | 29 | 0.0015% |
| 2011 | #4,303 | 23 | 0.0012% |
| 2010 | #2,989 | 39 | 0.0020% |
| 2009 | #2,880 | 42 | 0.0021% |
| 2008 | #2,661 | 47 | 0.0023% |
| 2007 | #2,465 | 52 | 0.0025% |
| 2006 | #3,284 | 33 | 0.0016% |
| 2005 | #3,684 | 26 | 0.0013% |
| 2004 | #3,262 | 30 | 0.0015% |
| 2003 | #5,453 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2002 | #4,140 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 2001 | #4,065 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 2000 | #4,717 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1999 | #5,224 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1998 | #6,649 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1997 | #10,249 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #6,903 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1995 | #6,770 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1994 | #9,753 | 5 | 0.0003% |
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.
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How the Name Mateus 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 are very intuitive. You have a reservoir of inspired wisdom combined with inherited analytical ability, which could reward you through expressions of spiritual leadership, business analysis, marketing, artistic visions, and scientific research. Operating on spiritual side of your individuality can bring you to the great heights, and drop you off if you neglect your spiritual identity. You are always looking for an opportunity to investigate the unknown, to use and show your mental abilities, to find the purpose and meaning of life. You want to grow wise and to understand people and things. You need privacy to replenish your energy. You have a unique way of thinking, intuitive, reflective, absorbing.
✦ Mateus's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Mateus's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.