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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Mateo/Matteo

37 replies

yeeds · 11/07/2021 16:10

Inspired by the Wimbledon final! Do you think Mateo or Matteo is an acceptable name for the son of a British couple with no European links? Just like the name and the nickname Teo. Thoughts please, thanks!

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Marty13 · 13/07/2021 15:31

But be ready for people to mispell the name. How people manage to mispell Ilya is beyond me but I've had both health insurance and travel agency get it wrong recently. Go figure.

Marty13 · 13/07/2021 15:30

My sons have russian names. My only connection to Russia is having lived there for a couple of years. I just liked the names, so.

If I have a third he'll probably be Dimitri (Dima) or Ivan (Vanya).

If you like Matteo go for it ! Looking back I wish I'd gone for a less conventional choice for my DS2. And Matteo is pretty far from unconventional !

Amdone123 · 12/07/2021 09:08

I thought exactly the same whilst watching the match.
I love it. Of course you can use it.

namechange90832 · 12/07/2021 09:03

I absolutely love the name but didn't use it because it felt odd to use without any cultural connections.

Greenmarmalade · 12/07/2021 09:02

Yes- lovely name

TatianaBis · 12/07/2021 08:55

@TheWashingMachine

Dreadful if you aren't Italian
Francesca, Mia, Maria, Camilla, Isabella, Bella, Aurora, Beatrice, Aria, Florence (Firenze), Sienna (Siena), Antonia, Claudia?
OhNoNoNoNoNo · 12/07/2021 08:36

It's a nice but I bet he will end up being Matt. I've a unusual foreign name And regularly get asked if I'm from the country it's from. It doesn't bother me at all. I just say no but my parents liked the name. 💁🏻‍♀️
If you really like the name Teo how about calling him that.

CaitlinEJ · 12/07/2021 08:31

Matteo - Italian
Mateo - Spanish

Incase that matters to you

It used to be something I would think about but now considering how many Isabellas/Sofia’s/Maia’s you have not of Italian / Spanish families I wouldn’t say it’s a big thing.

I know a few but they’re from Italian and Greek families.

Nohomemadecandles · 12/07/2021 08:25

@Honeybeebloom

Really weird if you're not Italian or Spanish and have no connections or heritage- your son will spend a lifetime explaining "no I'm not Italian..." which would be pretty embarrassing I'd imagine.
No more so than Amelie or Ottilie
Chunkymenrock · 12/07/2021 01:56

I like it and don't think it's weird if you're not Italian. Plenty of other names have been adopted like this by other cultures. Artem from Strictly has a son called Matteo.

kiwimum86 · 12/07/2021 01:49

A friend has a Matteo who often goes by Teo (Tay-o). It's super cool. I prefer the tt spelling.

Snugglybuggly · 12/07/2021 01:01

Matthew nicer

Honeybeebloom · 12/07/2021 00:42

Really weird if you're not Italian or Spanish and have no connections or heritage- your son will spend a lifetime explaining "no I'm not Italian..." which would be pretty embarrassing I'd imagine.

Germolenequeen · 12/07/2021 00:37

Just call him Matthew I say - he'll get Matt anyhow 😏

SherbertLemons · 12/07/2021 00:03

I'm half-Italian and I'm not brave enough to have it in my list even though I love it!

IamnotwhouthinkIam · 11/07/2021 23:28

Lovely - and I think it's one of those names that's quite internationally used now so not particularly problematic on a British lad. Unless you have Spanish links I'd probably spell it Matteo (since it's closer to Matthew, and the slightly more common spelling here). Teo ("Tay- oh") is a cute nn.

diddlediddle · 11/07/2021 23:17

No unless you have European links

TheWashingMachine · 11/07/2021 23:16

Dreadful if you aren't Italian

LizzieAnt · 11/07/2021 23:13

I think people may wonder if you have Italian heritage, but otherwise it's a nice name.
I don't think Tao is Irish either?

Chilldonaldchill · 11/07/2021 22:45

Yes definitely.
I think it's very unlikely that anyone would shorten it to Matt.

DotDotDotDotDot · 11/07/2021 21:53

Matteo is lovely, I think you also have to like the nickname Matt aswell though as that could happen…..Also never heard of an Irish name Tao???

DroopyClematis · 11/07/2021 21:42

Pretentious.

Dora26 · 11/07/2021 20:44

Never heard of an Irish name Tao….and I am Irish! Love Matteo

Nohomemadecandles · 11/07/2021 20:43

I knew a British Matteo. He was lovely.

BestestBrownies · 11/07/2021 20:43

Every name sounds better in Italian.

Just not with an English accent…