Is Nathan a boy, girl, or unisex name?

Nathan is commonly used as a Boy name.

How popular is Nathan?

It’s currently ranked #61 in the U.S. Recent trend: Falling.

How do you pronounce Nathan?

NAY-thin · IPA: //ˈneɪθən//

Nathan Boy

Popularity: #61 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Origin(s)

PronunciationNAY-thin / /ˈneɪθən/

Hebrew; English

Meaning

Hebrew: He has given; English: Gift from God

Historical & Cultural Background

Nathan is a name of Hebrew origin, derived from the verb 'natan', meaning 'to give'. It has been used in various cultures, particularly in Jewish tradition, where Nathan is a prominent biblical figure, known as a prophet during the reign of King David. The name gained popularity in English-speaking countries during the 19th century and has remained a common choice for boys.

Trend Summary

Nathan has consistently ranked among the top names for boys in the United States over the past few decades.

Variants

Nathanael
Nate

International Variants

Natan (Polish)
Nathanael (German)
Nathanaël (French)
Natan (Hebrew)

Famous people named Nathan

Nathan Hale was an American soldier and spy for the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.

Nathan Lane is a Tony Award-winning American actor known for his roles in theater and film.

Nathan Fillion is a Canadian-American actor best known for his role in the television series 'Castle'.

Nathan Chen is an American figure skater and Olympic gold medalist.

Fictional characters named Nathan

Nathan Drake is the main protagonist in the 'Uncharted' video game series, known for his adventurous spirit.

Nathan Scott is a character in the television series 'One Tree Hill', portrayed as a talented basketball player.

Sibling Suggestions

Ethan Mason Caleb Isaac Samuel Jacob

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)

Top States for Nathan (2024)

Year:

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%
VA	123	3%
MD	123	3%
WA	108	2%
AZ	85	2%
MI	84	2%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

Year	Births
1880	114
1881	91
1882	113
1883	93
1884	100
1885	103
1886	136
1887	106
1888	129
1889	121
1890	110
1891	106
1892	144
1893	114
1894	127
1895	119
1896	110
1897	139
1898	99
1899	112
1900	186
1901	131
1902	143
1903	146
1904	131
1905	168
1906	148
1907	176
1908	178
1909	209
1910	245
1911	348
1912	581
1913	615
1914	848
1915	916
1916	904
1917	881
1918	945
1919	849
1920	815
1921	751
1922	749
1923	739
1924	680
1925	615
1926	669
1927	636
1928	548
1929	513
1930	540
1931	442
1932	486
1933	413
1934	469
1935	468
1936	464
1937	434
1938	516
1939	467
1940	497
1941	527
1942	523
1943	581
1944	507
1945	488
1946	557
1947	617
1948	620
1949	660
1950	752
1951	870
1952	851
1953	806
1954	959
1955	950
1956	1,099
1957	1,225
1958	1,237
1959	1,378
1960	1,628
1961	1,491
1962	1,532
1963	1,541
1964	1,499
1965	1,418
1966	1,423
1967	1,432
1968	1,655
1969	1,908
1970	2,546
1971	3,048
1972	3,514
1973	4,735
1974	5,846
1975	7,069
1976	8,609
1977	9,888
1978	9,892
1979	10,721
1980	11,140
1981	11,258
1982	10,806
1983	10,558
1984	10,613
1985	10,652
1986	9,996
1987	9,910
1988	10,154
1989	10,907
1990	10,936
1991	10,498
1992	10,150
1993	10,197
1994	10,381
1995	10,306
1996	10,285
1997	10,443
1998	11,586
1999	12,537
2000	13,039
2001	12,647
2002	13,225
2003	13,667
2004	14,633
2005	14,364
2006	14,278
2007	13,604
2008	13,262
2009	12,135
2010	11,378
2011	10,522
2012	10,431
2013	9,721
2014	8,995
2015	8,599
2016	8,000
2017	7,441
2018	6,850
2019	6,087
2020	5,700
2021	5,431
2022	5,539
2023	5,066
2024	5,010