Nathan first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Nathan has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Nathan

A masculine given name of Hebrew origin meaning "He gave" or "Gift from God".

Popularity of Nathan by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Nathan is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 100% of people named Nathan being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 5,049 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Nathan.

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 5,049 0
2022 5,520 6
2021 5,417 6
2020 5,693 0
2019 6,076 0
2018 6,844 10
2017 7,438 8
2016 7,994 6
2015 8,595 9
2014 8,991 9
2013 9,718 9
2012 10,429 16
2011 10,519 11
2010 11,375 9
2009 12,128 17
2008 13,259 14
2007 13,600 18
2006 14,275 22
2005 14,360 32
2004 14,632 62
2003 13,667 26
2002 13,225 29
2001 12,647 18
2000 13,038 15
1999 12,536 19
1998 11,584 9
1997 10,442 15
1996 10,283 24
1995 10,304 19
1994 10,381 34
1993 10,196 27
1992 10,149 20
1991 10,497 28
1990 10,936 25
1989 10,904 43
1988 10,152 44
1987 9,911 62
1986 9,996 63
1985 10,652 89
1984 10,619 73
1983 10,559 86
1982 10,808 69
1981 11,259 69
1980 11,142 75
1979 10,726 63
1978 9,891 58
1977 9,889 46
1976 8,612 44
1975 7,072 37
1974 5,847 28

The history of the first name Nathan

The name Nathan has Hebrew origins and can be traced back to the biblical era. It is derived from the Hebrew word "נָתָן" (Natan), which means "he gave" or "giver". This name is found in the Old Testament, where it was borne by the prophet Nathan who lived during the reign of King David.

In the biblical account, Nathan played a crucial role in confronting King David over his affair with Bathsheba. He used a parable to convict David of his sin, leading the king to repentance. Nathan is also known for his involvement in the succession of King Solomon to the throne.

While the name Nathan has its roots in the Hebrew language, it has been widely adopted across various cultures and religions over the centuries. One of the earliest recorded instances of this name outside of the biblical context is Nathan the Babylonian, a Jewish scholar who lived in the 2nd century CE.

Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Nathan. In the 12th century, Nathan ben Yehiel of Rome was a prominent Jewish scholar and author of the Arukh, an important Hebrew dictionary and lexicon. Another notable figure was Nathan Rothschild (1777-1836), a wealthy banker and financier from the renowned Rothschild family.

In more recent times, the name Nathan has been associated with several influential individuals. Nathan Milstein (1904-1992) was a renowned Russian-American violinist and one of the most celebrated musicians of the 20th century. Nathan Mayer Rothschild (1777-1836) was a famous British banker and financier who played a significant role in financing the Duke of Wellington's campaign against Napoleon.

Other notable individuals named Nathan include Nathan Hale (1755-1776), an American Revolutionary War soldier and spy; Nathan Bedford Forrest (1821-1877), a controversial Confederate Army general during the American Civil War; and Nathan Stark (1923-2012), a Canadian ice hockey player and member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

The name Nathan has endured through the ages, transcending cultural and religious boundaries. Its biblical origins and historical significance have contributed to its widespread use and enduring popularity as a given name across various societies.

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

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

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"Nathan first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on December 4, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/nathan-meaning-and-history/.

"Nathan first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/nathan-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 4 December, 2024

Nathan first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/nathan-meaning-and-history/.

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