Nathan

Boy · NAY-than · Hebrew

Classic

Nathan is a boys' name of Hebrew origin, meaning “he gave”. In 2025 it ranked 93rd for boys in the UK (622 babies) and 63rd for boys in the US (4,975 babies).

What does Nathan mean?

Hebrew

“he gave”

In the Bible the prophet Nathan rebukes King David with the parable of the poor man's lamb.

Say it: NAY-than

Is Nathan a girl's or a boy's name?

Nathan is a boys' name. In 2025, it was given to 622 boys in the UK and 5 girls and 4,975 boys in the US.

How popular is Nathan in the UK?

Rank in 2025: #93among boys
Babies in 2025: 622about 1 in 480 boys
Five-year trend: Steadydown 12% in five years
Same name in a class: 2.9%chance among 15 boys

In 2025, 622 boys in the UK were named Nathan, making it the 93rd most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 105th. Its busiest year was 1998, with 3,640 boys.

Half of all the boys named Nathan in the UK since 1996 were born between 2000 and 2011. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier boys aren't counted.

Among boys in 2025, it was 99th in England and Wales, 56th in Scotland and 138th in Northern Ireland.

In the England and Wales top 100 for boys, which the ONS has published every ten years since 1904: 1974 (#58), 1984 (#57), 1994 (#27), 2004 (#31), 2014 (#62) and 2024 (#89).

1996Busiest: 3,640 in 19982025

Nathan in the UK, year by year

Year	Boys	Rank
2025	622	#93
2024	695	#86
2023	621	#95
2022	656	#97
2021	707	#92
2020	641	#105
2019	757	#96
2018	803	#91
2017	997	#76
2016	1,125	#63
2015	1,254	#56
2014	1,360	#51
2013	1,424	#51
2012	1,515	#52
2011	1,648	#50
2010	1,962	#45
2009	1,973	#44
2008	1,945	#45
2007	2,029	#38
2006	2,272	#35
2005	2,485	#34
2004	2,861	#31
2003	3,025	#29
2002	3,259	#24
2001	2,946	#29
2000	3,303	#25
1999	3,293	#26
1998	3,640	#25
1997	3,342	#26
1996	2,889	#31

How popular is Nathan in the US?

Rank in 2025: #63among boys
Babies in 2025: 4,975about 1 in 340 boys
Five-year trend: Steadydown 19% in five years
Same name in a class: 4%chance among 15 boys

In 2025, 4,975 boys in the US were named Nathan, making it the 63rd most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 55th. Its busiest year was 2004, with 14,634 boys. 5 girls were also named Nathan in 2025 (14,937th for girls).

It has been given to fewer boys each year for the last 3 years. 2025 had fewer boys named Nathan than any year since 1973.

Half of all the boys named Nathan in the US since 1880 were born between 1982 and 2007, the years shaded on the chart below.

In 2025, 5,657 boys in the US were given Nathan or a name that sounds the same. With every name's spellings counted this way, that ranks #61, up from #63 for this spelling alone.

Nathan 4,975
Neithan 371
Neythan 255
Nathen 27
Naythan 19
Naithan 10

1880Busiest: 14,634 in 20042025

Nathan in the US, year by year

Year	Boys	Rank
2025	4,975	#63
2024	5,029	#62
2023	5,073	#59
2022	5,544	#57
2021	5,432	#59
2020	5,702	#55
2019	6,090	#55
2018	6,850	#48
2017	7,442	#45
2016	8,000	#43
2015	8,600	#38
2014	8,997	#38
2013	9,721	#31
2012	10,431	#29
2011	10,523	#28
2010	11,380	#27
2009	12,135	#25
2008	13,262	#21
2007	13,605	#24
2006	14,278	#23
2005	14,365	#20
2004	14,634	#20
2003	13,667	#26
2002	13,224	#28
2001	12,647	#31
2000	13,040	#30
1999	12,538	#32
1998	11,586	#34
1997	10,442	#34
1996	10,287	#37
1995	10,306	#39
1994	10,386	#40
1993	10,199	#41
1992	10,154	#44
1991	10,500	#42
1990	10,934	#44
1989	10,904	#43
1988	10,154	#44
1987	9,910	#45
1986	9,996	#43
1985	10,653	#40
1984	10,614	#38
1983	10,557	#40
1982	10,805	#36
1981	11,256	#36
1980	11,138	#36
1979	10,719	#37
1978	9,890	#36
1977	9,886	#36
1976	8,611	#39
1975	7,069	#45
1974	5,844	#52
1973	4,734	#63
1972	3,512	#79
1971	3,047	#104
1970	2,545	#130
1969	1,908	#154
1968	1,654	#163
1967	1,432	#180
1966	1,422	#179
1965	1,417	#181
1964	1,500	#188
1963	1,540	#194
1962	1,532	#198
1961	1,489	#199
1960	1,630	#190
1959	1,378	#207
1958	1,237	#214
1957	1,225	#215
1956	1,099	#222
1955	950	#232
1954	959	#225
1953	806	#237
1952	851	#229
1951	870	#222
1950	751	#243
1949	660	#251
1948	620	#263
1947	617	#273
1946	557	#271
1945	488	#267
1944	507	#262
1943	581	#244
1942	523	#253
1941	527	#243
1940	497	#243
1939	468	#246
1938	515	#232
1937	434	#258
1936	464	#243
1935	468	#248
1934	469	#245
1933	413	#259
1932	486	#243
1931	442	#258
1930	540	#234
1929	513	#239
1928	548	#235
1927	636	#210
1926	669	#206
1925	615	#219
1924	680	#204
1923	739	#187
1922	749	#185
1921	751	#186
1920	815	#172
1919	849	#156
1918	945	#150
1917	881	#148
1916	904	#143
1915	916	#139
1914	848	#124
1913	615	#127
1912	581	#120
1911	348	#108
1910	245	#135
1909	209	#128
1908	178	#137
1907	176	#136
1906	148	#139
1905	168	#130
1904	131	#148
1903	146	#128
1902	143	#135
1901	131	#127
1900	186	#125
1899	112	#141
1898	99	#166
1897	139	#119
1896	110	#150
1895	119	#136
1894	127	#125
1893	114	#131
1892	144	#118
1891	106	#130
1890	110	#130
1889	121	#116
1888	129	#123
1887	106	#124
1886	136	#114
1885	103	#132
1884	100	#140
1883	93	#132
1882	113	#124
1881	91	#136
1880	114	#115

Nicknames for Nathan

Nate 111 boys in the UK in 2025
Nat

Names like Nathan

Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.

Benjamin Adam Matthew Aaron Daniel Joshua Ethan Luke Michael Ryan Dylan Elliot

Other spellings of Nathan

Naithan Neithan Naythan Neythan Nathen

Names related to Nathan

Natan Nathon Nathyn Nethan

More Hebrew names

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