Is Nathaniel a boy, girl, or unisex name?

Nathaniel is commonly used as a Boy name.

How popular is Nathaniel?

It’s currently ranked #140 in the U.S. Recent trend: Falling.

How do you pronounce Nathaniel?

nuh-THAN-yuhl · IPA: //nəˈθæn.jəl//

Nathaniel Boy

Popularity: #140 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Origin(s)

Hebrew; English

Meaning

Hebrew: Gift of God; English: Born on the day of the Nativity

Historical & Cultural Background

Nathaniel is derived from the Hebrew name Netan'el, meaning 'God has given.' It has been used in various cultures, particularly in Jewish and Christian contexts. The name appears in the New Testament as one of the apostles, also known as Bartholomew. Over the centuries, Nathaniel has been a popular name in English-speaking countries, often associated with nobility and literary figures.

Trend Summary

Nathaniel has seen a steady increase in popularity in the United States over the past few decades.

Variants

Nathanael
Nat

International Variants

Nathanaël (French)
Nataniel (Spanish)
Nathanel (Dutch)

Famous people named Nathaniel

Nathaniel Hawthorne was an American novelist known for works such as 'The Scarlet Letter' and 'The House of the Seven Gables.'.

Nathaniel Buzolic is an Australian actor recognized for his role as Kol Mikaelson in the TV series 'The Vampire Diaries.'.

Nathaniel Philbrick is an American author and historian known for his books on maritime history.

Nathaniel Parker is a British actor famous for his roles in 'The Inspector Lynley Mysteries' and 'The Bodyguard.'.

Fictional characters named Nathaniel

Nathaniel is a character in the 'Bartimaeus Trilogy' by Jonathan Stroud, where he is a young magician.

Nathaniel 'Nate' Archibald is a character in the 'Gossip Girl' series, known for his privileged lifestyle and romantic entanglements.

Sibling Suggestions

Gabriel Samuel Elijah Isaac Daniel Matthew

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Nathaniel was first seen in the United States in 1880. Nathaniel has ranked as high as #100 nationally which occurred in 2002 and has been most popular in California, Texas, Florida, New York, and Pennsylvania. In the past 5 years the name Nathaniel has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

Top States for Nathaniel (2024)

Year:

State	Births	Share
CA	412	17%
TX	342	14%
FL	164	7%
NY	158	7%
PA	89	4%
GA	87	4%
NC	87	4%
OH	80	3%
AZ	67	3%
VA	66	3%
IL	63	3%
WA	62	3%
TN	49	2%
MA	44	2%
MI	42	2%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

Year	Births
1880	60
1881	48
1882	57
1883	49
1884	56
1885	54
1886	59
1887	57
1888	63
1889	48
1890	75
1891	46
1892	78
1893	58
1894	77
1895	72
1896	73
1897	43
1898	90
1899	72
1900	118
1901	92
1902	88
1903	105
1904	105
1905	117
1906	101
1907	124
1908	150
1909	143
1910	232
1911	207
1912	356
1913	337
1914	470
1915	554
1916	590
1917	640
1918	661
1919	748
1920	837
1921	748
1922	800
1923	721
1924	800
1925	810
1926	821
1927	769
1928	728
1929	760
1930	754
1931	659
1932	781
1933	728
1934	782
1935	747
1936	738
1937	703
1938	749
1939	770
1940	833
1941	829
1942	843
1943	839
1944	864
1945	853
1946	977
1947	1,100
1948	1,159
1949	1,193
1950	1,222
1951	1,247
1952	1,258
1953	1,268
1954	1,229
1955	1,330
1956	1,311
1957	1,261
1958	1,104
1959	1,158
1960	1,145
1961	1,049
1962	1,085
1963	1,025
1964	1,023
1965	1,071
1966	903
1967	978
1968	922
1969	991
1970	1,136
1971	1,210
1972	1,208
1973	1,391
1974	1,609
1975	1,957
1976	2,210
1977	2,499
1978	2,925
1979	3,040
1980	3,492
1981	3,719
1982	3,938
1983	3,641
1984	3,602
1985	4,003
1986	4,031
1987	4,050
1988	4,054
1989	4,120
1990	4,348
1991	4,367
1992	4,687
1993	4,854
1994	5,029
1995	5,203
1996	5,420
1997	5,775
1998	6,427
1999	6,466
2000	6,797
2001	6,645
2002	6,813
2003	6,666
2004	6,675
2005	6,689
2006	6,626
2007	6,066
2008	5,856
2009	5,426
2010	5,109
2011	4,978
2012	4,794
2013	4,537
2014	4,317
2015	4,233
2016	3,884
2017	3,540
2018	3,389
2019	3,094
2020	2,926
2021	2,825
2022	2,700
2023	2,526
2024	2,511