Nathan
Meaninghe gave · Hebrew
- US rank
- #63
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #20 in 2005
4,975 babies were named Nathan in the US in 2025. It has dropped 8 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Nathan you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Nathan
Nathan Fillion
Canadian-American actor (born 1971)
Choose Nathan and your child shares a first name with Nathan Fillion, a Canadian-American actor. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Nathan, like who?” Nathan Fillion's Wikipedia article is available in 56 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Nathan Fillion on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Kevin Paul, CC BY 4.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 343 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Nathan, 4,975 babies in all. In a school of 500 kids, there'd probably be one other Nathan.
- HistoryNathan has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Nathans, and counting.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 2005, when it ranked #20. Today it's #63, so it could be due a comeback.
- Then vs nowNathan was 2.3× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 151 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 343.
- Where it's lovedNathan is most popular in Maryland, where it ranks #30, followed by New Jersey (#35) and California (#40). It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
- MeaningIn Hebrew, Nathan means “he gave”.
About the name Nathan
Nathan is a boy name of Hebrew origin meaning “he gave”. It has 6 letters and 2 syllables, starting with N and ending in “-han”. US birth records list Nathan for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 2005, when it ranked #20 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #63, with 4,975 babies.
Origin:Hebrew names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 1,008 | 992 boys |
| 1890s | 1,036 | 965 boys |
| 1900s | 1,189 | 841 boys |
| 1910s | 1,149 | 870 boys |
| 1920s | 610 | 1,639 boys |
| 1930s | 444 | 2,250 boys |
| 1940s | 378 | 2,643 boys |
| 1950s | 498 | 2,010 boys |
| 1960s | 812 | 1,232 boys |
| 1970s | 4,029 | 248 boys |
| 1980s | 5,751 | 174 boys |
| 1990s | 5,515 | 181 boys |
| 2000s | 6,756 | 148 boys |
| 2010s | 4,668 | 214 boys |
| 2020s | 3,063 | 326 boys |
More Hebrew boy names
- Unisex name: Noah · rest, comfort
- Unisex name: James · supplanter
- Boy name: Elijah · my God is Yahweh
- Boy name: Mateo · gift of God
- Boy name: Benjamin · son of the right hand
- Boy name: Levi · joined, attached
- Unisex name: Elias · my God is Yahweh
- Boy name: Jack · God is gracious
Questions about the name Nathan
What does the name Nathan mean?
Nathan means “he gave” in Hebrew.
What is the origin of the name Nathan?
Nathan has Hebrew roots in our records. Other Hebrew names include Noah, James, Elijah.
Is Nathan a boy or girl name?
Nathan is a boy name, though a few girls get it too.
How popular is the name Nathan?
Nathan ranked #63 for US boys in 2025, given to 4,975 babies. Its best year was 2005 (#20).