Nathaniel
How to say it: nuh-THAN-yul · /nəˈθænjəl/
Gift of God; from the Hebrew name Netan'el meaning 'God has given'.
Nathaniel was the 125th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 2,565 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 2000s, its births are down about 34% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #145 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #125 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 2,565 |
| Share of births | 1 in 1,045 |
| Peak decade | 2000s |
| Change over 10 years | −34% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #145 |
| In France, 2025 | #159 among boys’ names, 60 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
After a high point in the 2000s, Nathaniel has grown rarer. Now well below that peak, it is expected to slip a little more.
What goes with it
Long and soft in three syllables, it keeps a biblical and literary air. Gabriel offers a kindred option.
Middle names that flow with Nathaniel →
Parents who love Nathaniel also love
Nicknames
- Nat
- Nate
- Natty
- Nate
Honouring a Nathaniel in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Nathaniel is about 1 in 44.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, French, Hebrew.
In France: #159 for boys in 2025.
England and Wales: #149. Ireland: #230.
Famous people named Nathaniel
- Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804–1864)American author
- Nathaniel Clyne (born 1991)English association football player
- Nathaniel Chalobah (born 1994)English footballer
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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