Nathaniel
Meaninggift of God · Hebrew
- US rank
- #140
- Syllables
- 3
- Peak
- #60 in 1998
2,565 babies were named Nathaniel in the US in 2025. It has dropped 15 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 Nathaniel you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Nathaniel
Nathaniel Clyne
English association football player (born 1991)
Choose Nathaniel and your child shares a first name with Nathaniel Clyne, an English association football player. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Nathaniel, like who?” Nathaniel Clyne's Wikipedia article is available in 47 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Nathaniel Clyne on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: kyivcity.gov.ua, CC BY 4.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 666 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Nathaniel, 2,565 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Nathaniel would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryNathaniel has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Nathaniels, and counting.
- Best yearIts best year was 1998, when it reached #60.
- Then vs nowNathaniel was 2.3× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 289 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 666.
- Where it's lovedNathaniel is most popular in Washington, D.C., where it ranks #66, followed by California (#81) and Maryland (#93). It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
- MeaningIn Hebrew, Nathaniel means “gift of God”. Our records link it to Hebrew and Latin roots.
About the name Nathaniel
Nathaniel is a boy name of Hebrew and Latin origin meaning “gift of God”. It has 9 letters and 3 syllables, starting with N and ending in “-iel”. US birth records list Nathaniel for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1998, when it ranked #60 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #140, with 2,565 babies.
Origin:Hebrew namesLatin names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 503 | 1,988 boys |
| 1890s | 597 | 1,676 boys |
| 1900s | 840 | 1,191 boys |
| 1910s | 774 | 1,293 boys |
| 1920s | 708 | 1,413 boys |
| 1930s | 702 | 1,425 boys |
| 1940s | 639 | 1,564 boys |
| 1950s | 615 | 1,626 boys |
| 1960s | 530 | 1,887 boys |
| 1970s | 1,169 | 856 boys |
| 1980s | 2,093 | 478 boys |
| 1990s | 2,709 | 369 boys |
| 2000s | 3,223 | 310 boys |
| 2010s | 2,222 | 450 boys |
| 2020s | 1,552 | 644 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 Nathaniel
What does the name Nathaniel mean?
Nathaniel means “gift of God” in Hebrew.
What is the origin of the name Nathaniel?
Nathaniel has Hebrew, Latin roots in our records. Other Hebrew names include Noah, James, Elijah.
Is Nathaniel a boy or girl name?
Nathaniel is a boy name.
How popular is the name Nathaniel?
Nathaniel ranked #140 for US boys in 2025, given to 2,565 babies. Its best year was 1998 (#60).