boy's name
Nathaniel
na-THAN-yəl
- Origin Hebrew
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 3
- Letters 9
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 317,088
the United States
#140
2025 births
Nathaniel is a boy's name of Hebrew origin meaning "gift of God." It comes from natan, he gave, and el, God, and belongs to a disciple whom the Gospel of John introduces sitting under a fig tree.
- Nathaniel is a name of Hebrew origin.
- Peaked in 2002, when 6,829 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 1,293 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 3 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Nathaniel over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 551 |
| 1890s | 684 |
| 1900s | 1,143 |
| 1910s | 4,813 |
| 1920s | 7,847 |
| 1930s | 7,472 |
| 1940s | 9,560 |
| 1950s | 12,517 |
| 1960s | 10,295 |
| 1970s | 19,363 |
| 1980s | 38,926 |
| 1990s | 52,681 |
| 2000s | 64,392 |
| 2010s | 41,921 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 16,100 |
What Nathaniel means
Nathaniel means God has given, or gift of God. The Hebrew is a complete sentence — the subject is God and the verb is giving — which makes it a statement of thanks rather than a description.
Where Nathaniel comes from
Nathaniel transliterates the Hebrew Netan'el, from natan, to give, and el, God. The same natan opens Nathan and closes Jonathan, which means God has given in the reverse order. In the Gospel of John, Nathanael is called by Philip and greeted by Jesus as an Israelite in whom there is no deceit; he is often identified with the Bartholomew of the other gospels, since Bartholomew is a patronymic rather than a given name. The name entered English use with the Puritans and was carried to America by them.
Nathaniel in use
Our data shows Nathaniel falling rather than rising, peaking in 2002, and it first appears in our records in 1880. Nathan, the shorter name sharing its first element, peaked around the same period — the two rose and fell together despite being separate names.
How popular is Nathaniel?
In 2025, Nathaniel was given to 2,565 babies in the United States, ranking #140 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Nathaniel is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
How Nathaniel is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Nathaniël | Nathaniël is a rare spelling of Nathaniel, written with a diaeresis and recorded about 5 times, mostly in France. | 5 |
Names that peaked alongside Nathaniel
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Nathaniel also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Nathaniel over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
5 nicknames for Nathaniel
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Nathaniel in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Nathaniel
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Nathaniel — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Nathaniel
What does the name Nathaniel mean?
Nathaniel means "gift of God," from the Hebrew natan, he gave, and el, God.
Are Nathaniel and Nathan the same name?
They share the natan element but are separate names. Nathan means simply "he gave."
Who was Nathanael in the Bible?
A disciple called by Philip in the Gospel of John, often identified with Bartholomew — which is a patronymic, not a given name.
How popular is the name Nathaniel?
In 2025, Nathaniel was given to 2,565 babies in the United States, ranking #140 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Nathaniel a girl's or a boy's name?
Nathaniel is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Nathaniel?
Nathaniel has 3 syllables.
When was Nathaniel most popular?
Nathaniel peaked in 2002, when 6,829 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Nathaniel?
Nathaniel is usually shortened to Nate, Nat, Than, Nathan and Natty.
Is Nathaniel a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Nathaniel currently ranks #115 in the United States. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.