Matteo vs Theo

Matteo and Theocompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.

Head to head

Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.

Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Matteo was ranked #234 and Theo #4 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Matteo was ranked #202 and Theo #5 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Matteo was ranked #159 and Theo #12 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Matteo was ranked #132 and Theo #21 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Matteo was ranked #181 and Theo #22 among boys in Norway.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Matteo was ranked #68 and Theo #32 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

Matteo and Theo over time

Matteo and Theo appear together in 4 published lists, across 91 years of shared records. Theo held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Matteo in 0.

The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Theo reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Matteo in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.

Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.

How this pair is related

The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.

Longest-running competitions
Matteo and Theo were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 30 years, from 1990 to 2025, ending at #181 and #22.
Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Matteo #159 in 2024, Theo #9 in 2022.

List by list

Norway · Boys30 shared years, 1990–2025
Matteo held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Theo in 28.
Highest recorded here: Matteo #137 in 2024, Theo #17 in 2024.
The order changed in 2000: Theo moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #543 and #563; by 2000 that had become #517 and #318.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Matteo #181, Theo #22.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Matteo held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Theo in 29.
Highest recorded here: Matteo #159 in 2024, Theo #9 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Matteo #159, Theo #12.
Republic of Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 2002–2025
Matteo held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Theo in 24.
Highest recorded here: Matteo #125 in 2024, Theo #13 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Matteo #132, Theo #21.
Northern Ireland · Boys8 shared years, 2009–2024
Matteo held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Theo in 8.
Highest recorded here: Matteo #202 in 2024, Theo #4 in 2022.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Matteo #202, Theo #5.

Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Theo

Pairs where Theo shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Arthur vs Theo
Arthur and Theo both rose over the same years in 5 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Norway · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Arthur · Theo · 37 shared years, 1986–2025 · Moved together in several countries
Henry vs Theo
Henry and Theo both rose over the same years in 5 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Norway · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Henry · Theo · 37 shared years, 1986–2025 · Moved together in several countries
Theo vs Archie
Theo and Archie both rose over the same years in 4 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Theo · Archie · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Moved together in several countries
Theo vs Arlo
Theo and Arlo both rose over the same years in 4 registrars — England and Wales · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Northern Ireland · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.
Theo · Arlo · 27 shared years, 1999–2025 · Moved together in several countries

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Matteo, Theo
Field	Matteo	Theo
Record type	Official statistical record (evidence-only)	Editorially researched profile
Gender usage	male	male
Meaning	Not yet recorded	Gift of God.
Origin	Not yet recorded	Greek, via Theodore/Theodora
Pronunciation		/ˈθioʊ/
Syllables	2	1
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Teddy
Recorded regional usage	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observation	New South Wales, Australia · Boys #68 (2025)	Republic of Ireland · Boys #21 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	88/100	95/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	100/100
Data Confidence	medium	high

What the data shows

Theo has a recorded origin (Greek, via Theodore/Theodora); Matteo does not have one recorded yet.
Matteo has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Theo.
A meaning is recorded for Theo; Matteo doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
The available evidence gives Matteo a "medium" Data Confidence level and Theo a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Matteo

Popularity journey

First recorded1981
First recorded at #560 among boys in Norway in 1981 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded2024–2025
Highest recorded position: #68 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025 (recorded 2024–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #68 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys

Theo

Popularity journey

First recorded1986
First recorded at #637 among boys in Norway in 1986 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded2001–2024
Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2022 (recorded 2001–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #32 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys