Find out how popular the first name Elnathan has been for the last 18 years (from 2006 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Elnathan by gender

Based on the last 18 years of data, Elnathan is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 19 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Elnathan.

The history of the first name Elnathan

Elnathan is a Hebrew name with biblical origins, derived from the elements "El" meaning "God" and "nathan" meaning "given." This combination translates to "God has given" or "gift of God." The name first appears in the Old Testament, specifically in the Book of Ezra, as the name of one of the men who returned to Jerusalem from Babylon after the Babylonian exile in the 5th century BCE.

The name Elnathan is also mentioned in the Book of Jeremiah, referring to a different individual who was one of the princes of Judah during the reign of King Jehoiakim in the 7th century BCE. This Elnathan is recorded as having tried to prevent the burning of the scroll containing Jeremiah's prophecies, suggesting that he may have been sympathetic to the prophet's message.

One of the earliest recorded examples of an individual bearing the name Elnathan is found in the Elephantine Papyri, a collection of ancient Jewish manuscripts from the 5th century BCE discovered on the island of Elephantine in Egypt. These papyri mention an Elnathan who was a member of the Jewish community living in Elephantine at that time.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Elnathan. In the 16th century, Elnathan Parr (1516-1632) was an English centenarian who reportedly lived to the age of 116 years. Another Elnathan, Elnathan Whitman (1623-1688), was a founder of the town of Farmington, Connecticut, and served as a deputy to the General Court of Connecticut in the 17th century.

In the 18th century, Elnathan Kempton (1770-1840) was a delegate from New York to the 16th United States Congress, serving from 1819 to 1821. Elnathan Sweet (1782-1842) was a prominent American lawyer and politician from New York, who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1823 to 1825.

More recently, Elnathan John (born 1982) is a contemporary Nigerian writer and satirist, known for his works exploring social and political issues in Nigeria. His novel "Born on a Tuesday" was published in 2015 and received critical acclaim.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Elnathan was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Elnathan, please contact us.

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