Nathan Boy

Popularity: #61 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: NAY-thin //ˈneɪθən//

Origin: Hebrew; English

Meaning: Hebrew: He has given; English: Gift from God

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Nathan has its roots in the Hebrew language, derived from the verb 'natan,' which means 'to give.' The earliest form of the name appears in the Hebrew Bible as נָתָן (Natan), where it is associated with several biblical figures, most notably Nathan the prophet, who served during the reign of King David in the 10th century BCE. The name was later transliterated into Greek as Ναθάν (Nathán) and subsequently into Latin as Nathanus, before making its way into Old French and eventually into Middle English as Nathan.

Historically, Nathan is significant due to its biblical connections, particularly through the prophet Nathan, who played a crucial role in advising King David and confronting him regarding his moral failings. This biblical narrative has been influential in Jewish and Christian traditions, contributing to the name's enduring presence in various cultures.

The name appears in the genealogies of Jesus in the New Testament, further solidifying its importance in Christian contexts. Culturally, Nathan has been associated with themes of wisdom and guidance, reflective of its biblical roots.

The name has also been linked to various saints and notable figures throughout history, enhancing its resonance in religious and cultural narratives. In addition to Nathan, the name has several diminutive forms, such as Nate, which have emerged in various languages and cultures, although these forms are less historically significant than the original.

Overall, Nathan's etymological journey and historical milestones underscore its lasting impact across different societies.

Famous people named Nathan

In this section, you will find notable people named Nathan. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Nathan who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Nathan who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Nathan Fillion is an actor best known for Firefly, Castle, and The Rookie.

Nathan Lane is an actor best known for The Producers, The Birdcage, and The Lion King.

Nathan Chen is a figure skater best known for winning multiple World Championships and Olympic medals.

Nathan Myhrvold is an author and entrepreneur best known for Modernist Cuisine and his work with Microsoft.

Nathan Hale is a historical figure best known for being an American Revolutionary War soldier and spy.

Nathan Adrian is a swimmer best known for winning multiple Olympic gold medals in freestyle events.

Nathan Kress is an actor best known for his role in iCarly and its revival.

Nathan Fielder is a comedian and writer best known for Nathan for You and his work on Comedy Central.

Nathan Sykes is a singer best known as a member of The Wanted and for his solo career.

Fictional characters named Nathan

The following list of fictional characters named Nathan is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Nathan Drake is a fictional character from the video game series Uncharted. He is a treasure hunter known for his adventurous spirit and witty personality.

Nathan Scott is a fictional character from the TV series One Tree Hill. He is a talented basketball player who navigates complex relationships and personal challenges throughout the series.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Nathan, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

EthanMasonCalebIsaacSamuelJacob

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Nathan. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

NathanielNoahNicolasMatthewLucasDanielDavidAndrew

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Nathan was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Nathan has ranked as high as #27 nationally, which occurred in 2004, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.

In the past 5 years the name Nathan has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Nathan is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Nathan was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Top States for Nathan (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.

State Births Share
CA 814
17%
TX 629
13%
FL 398
8%
NY 346
7%
PA 201
4%
IL 186
4%
NC 147
3%
MA 145
3%
GA 133
3%
OH 128
3%
MD 123
3%
VA 123
3%
WA 108
2%
AZ 85
2%
MI 84
2%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Nathan.

YearBirths
20245,010
20235,066
20225,539
20215,431
20205,700
20196,087
20186,850
20177,441
20168,000
20158,599
20148,995
20139,721
201210,431
201110,522
201011,378
200912,135
200813,262
200713,604
200614,278
200514,364
200414,633
200313,667
200213,225
200112,647
200013,039
199912,537
199811,586
199710,443
199610,285
199510,306
199410,381
199310,197
199210,150
199110,498
199010,936
198910,907
198810,154
19879,910
19869,996
198510,652
198410,613
198310,558
198210,806
198111,258
198011,140
197910,721
19789,892
19779,888
19768,609
19757,069
19745,846
19734,735
19723,514
19713,048
19702,546
19691,908
19681,655
19671,432
19661,423
19651,418
19641,499
19631,541
19621,532
19611,491
19601,628
19591,378
19581,237
19571,225
19561,099
1955950
1954959
1953806
1952851
1951870
1950752
1949660
1948620
1947617
1946557
1945488
1944507
1943581
1942523
1941527
1940497
1939467
1938516
1937434
1936464
1935468
1934469
1933413
1932486
1931442
1930540
1929513
1928548
1927636
1926669
1925615
1924680
1923739
1922749
1921751
1920815
1919849
1918945
1917881
1916904
1915916
1914848
1913615
1912581
1911348
1910245
1909209
1908178
1907176
1906148
1905168
1904131
1903146
1902143
1901131
1900186
1899112
189899
1897139
1896110
1895119
1894127
1893114
1892144
1891106
1890110
1889121
1888129
1887106
1886136
1885103
1884100
188393
1882113
188191
1880114