Find out how popular the first name Nadav has been for the last 49 years (from 1976 to 2024) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Nadav by gender

Based on the last 49 years of data, Nadav is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2024, there were 13 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Nadav.

The history of the first name Nadav

The name Nadav is a Hebrew name with roots dating back to ancient Semitic languages. It is derived from the Hebrew word "nadav," which means "generous" or "noble." The name's earliest known origins can be traced back to the Biblical period in ancient Israel.

In the Hebrew Bible, Nadav is mentioned as the name of the eldest son of Aaron, the first High Priest of the Israelites. According to the Book of Leviticus, Nadav and his brother Abihu were priests who were struck down by God for offering "strange fire" in the Tabernacle. This incident served as a cautionary tale about the importance of following God's commandments and respecting sacred rituals.

One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the name Nadav was Nadav ben Aminadav, a prince from the Tribe of Judah who lived during the reign of King David in the 10th century BCE. He was mentioned in the Book of Samuel as a prominent figure in David's court.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals named Nadav. In the 2nd century BCE, Nadav was the name of a Jewish rebel leader who fought against the Seleucid Empire during the Maccabean Revolt. Another Nadav was a prominent Jewish scholar and poet who lived in Spain during the 11th century CE.

In more recent times, Nadav Guedj was an Israeli diplomat and ambassador who served as Israel's permanent representative to the United Nations from 1967 to 1970. Nadav Kander is a contemporary Israeli-born photographer and artist known for his portraits and landscape photography.

Nadav Lapid is an Israeli filmmaker and writer who has directed several critically acclaimed films, including Synonyms, which won the Golden Bear award at the 2019 Berlin International Film Festival. Nadav Naor is an Israeli businessman and entrepreneur who co-founded the social navigation app Waze, which was later acquired by Google.

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 Nadav was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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