Natan
A masculine given name of Hebrew origin meaning "gift of God".
Name Census estimates that about 1,539 living Americans carry the first name Natan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Natan today is around 18 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Natan births was 2017 (65 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Natan. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Natan is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 18 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
1.5K
~ 1 in 222,712 Americans
Peak year
2017
65 babies that year
Average age
18
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,491
Tracked since 1968
Popularity
Natan: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Natan from the 1960s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 535 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Natan remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Natan by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Natan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Natans live
The SSA's state-level files cover 12 states and territories. New York, California, Texas recorded the most babies named Natan, while Oregon, Massachusetts, Georgia recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 43 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Natan
The name Natan has its origins in the Hebrew language and culture, dating back to ancient times. It is derived from the Hebrew word "natan," meaning "to give" or "gift." This name has been used for centuries in various communities and regions where Hebrew culture and traditions have had an influence.
One of the earliest and most prominent references to the name Natan can be found in the Hebrew Bible, where it is mentioned as the name of a prophet and one of the sons of David. In the biblical account, Natan played a significant role in conveying God's messages to King David and advising him on important matters of state and faith.
Throughout history, the name Natan has been borne by numerous individuals of note. One of the earliest recorded examples is Natan ben Isaac, a renowned Jewish scholar and philosopher who lived in the 11th century in Rome. He made significant contributions to the study of Jewish law and ethics.
Another notable figure with the name Natan was Natan Nata Spingarn, a Polish-American writer and Zionist activist who lived from 1887 to 1958. He played a crucial role in the establishment of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and was a prominent figure in the Zionist movement.
In the realm of literature, Natan Alterman (1910-1970) was an influential Israeli poet, playwright, and journalist. His works, which often focused on themes of national identity and social commentary, had a profound impact on Israeli culture and the development of modern Hebrew literature.
The name Natan has also been associated with individuals in the field of science and academia. One example is Natan Rosen (1835-1905), a Russian-born mathematician and engineer who made significant contributions to the study of differential geometry and tensor analysis.
Another individual worth mentioning is Natan Sharansky (born 1948), a former Soviet dissident and human rights activist. He spent nine years imprisoned in the Soviet Union for his advocacy of Jewish emigration rights and later became a prominent figure in Israeli politics, serving as a member of the Knesset and in various ministerial positions.
The name Natan has a rich history and has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and fields, reflecting its enduring appeal and cultural significance across various eras and regions influenced by Hebrew tradition and culture.
People
Natan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Natan as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with N
Other first names starting with N with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Natan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Natan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,539 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Natan going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 222,712 US residents.
Is Natan a common name?
We classify Natan as "Rare". It ranks above 92.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,562 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Natan most popular?
The single biggest year for Natan was 2017, when 65 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Natan is about 18 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Natan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Natan in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.