What does Matteo mean?
Italian form of Matthew, ultimately from Hebrew 'Mattityahu' ('gift of Yahweh / gift of God') via Greek Matthaios.
What does Giovanni mean?
Giovanni is the Italian form of John, “God is gracious.”
Matteo vs Giovanni
Which is more popular?
Giovanni is more popular than Matteo today: about 2,939 US babies were given the name Giovanni in 2025, compared with 2,455 named Matteo.
| Matteo | Giovanni | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Gift of God | God is gracious |
| Origin | italian | Italian |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | maht-TEH-oh | joh-VAH-nee |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1911 | 1907 |
| Peak year | 2024 (2,589) | 2010 (3,434) |
| In 2025 | 2,455 | 2,939 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Steady |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Matteo
Giovanni
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Matteo | Giovanni |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 14,188 | 17,879 |
| 2010s | 14,630 | 30,418 |
| 2000s | 3,241 | 24,227 |
| 1990s | 676 | 10,931 |
| 1980s | 174 | 3,359 |
| 1970s | 120 | 1,418 |
| 1960s | 74 | 579 |
| 1950s | 26 | 153 |
| 1940s | 7 | 20 |
| 1930s | 65 | 56 |
| 1920s | 180 | 135 |
| 1910s | 102 | 175 |
| 1900s | 0 | 18 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Matteo or Giovanni more popular?
Giovanni is more popular than Matteo today: about 2,939 US babies were given the name Giovanni in 2025, compared with 2,455 named Matteo.
What is the difference between Matteo and Giovanni?
Matteo means Gift of God (italian origin), while Giovanni means God is gracious (Italian origin).
Which name is older, Matteo or Giovanni?
In US records, Matteo first appears in 1911 and Giovanni in 1907, so Giovanni has the longer recorded history.