Nathan
2025 SSA
2025 SSA
About Nathan
Nathan is an Old Testament name that's ranked among the Top 100 names for boys for 50 years, and could well stay there for another 50. Strong, solid, and attractive, It's a name familiar to every schoolchild through Nathan Hale, the Revolutionary War spy.
Nathan was derived from the name Natan, which came from Hebrew verb natan, meaning "gave." In the Old Testament, Nathan was the name of a prophet and also that of one of King David's sons. Nathaniel and Jonathan are related names.
Along with the US, Nathan ranks in the Top 100 throughout the English-speaking world as well as in France, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.
Nat and Nate (as featured on TV shows like Six Feet Under and Gossip Girl) are just the kind of friendly, old-fashioned nicknames that are now very much in style.
Nathans have starred in some classic films — it was the name of the character played by Kevin Kline in Sophie's Choice, by Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men, and Frank Sinatra was Nathan Detroit in the film version of Guys and Dolls. Nathan Zuckerman is the protagonist of several novels by Philip Roth.
In the public eye right now is Nathan Fillion, who portrays TV's Castle. Nathan was chosen for his son by Jon Stewart.
Nathan is also given to girls, where it ranks #16565 in the US.
Pronounced NAY-thun.
As of October 2026, Nathan ranked #63 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #20 in 2005, Nameberry popularity #272.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank · boys | Births · boys | US rank · girls | Births · girls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #38 | 8,995 | — | 0 |
| 2015 | #38 | 8,599 | — | 0 |
| 2016 | #43 | 8,000 | — | 0 |
| 2017 | #45 | 7,441 | — | 0 |
| 2018 | #48 | 6,850 | — | 0 |
| 2019 | #55 | 6,087 | — | 0 |
| 2020 | #55 | 5,700 | — | 0 |
| 2021 | #59 | 5,431 | — | 0 |
| 2022 | #57 | 5,539 | — | 0 |
| 2023 | #59 | 5,066 | — | 0 |
| 2024 | #62 | 5,010 | — | 0 |
| 2025 | #63 | 4,975 | — | 0 |
World rankings
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Nathan.
Nathan on lists
Famous Nathans
- NathanBoy
Biblical prophet
- Nathan of ZobahBoy
father of one of David's mighty men (2 Samuel 23:36)
- NathanBoy
brother of Joel, a valiant man in David's armies (1 Chr. 11:38)
- NathanBoy
Biblical son of David and Bathsheba
- NathanBoy
mentioned in Ezra 8:16
- Nathan HaleBoy
American revolutionary
- Nathan Karl KressBoy
American actor
- Joseph "Nathan" LaneBoy
American actor
- Nathan PageBoy
Australian actor
- Nathan James SykesBoy
English singer of band The Wanted
- Nathan GharBoy
jun Adrian, American Olympic swimmer
- Nathan Russell HortonBoy
Canadian NHL Hockey player
- Nathan Christopher FillionBoy
Canadian actor
- (Ivan) Nathan FollowillBoy
American musician of band Kings of Leon
- Nathan William HindmarshBoy
Australian Rugby League Player
- Nathan Charles BuckleyBoy
Australian rules footballer
- Nathan DarmodyBoy
American musician of band Allstar Weekend
- Nathan Abraham Lauren FaganBoy
Gayle aka Starboy Nathan, English R&B singer
- Nathan Jonas "Joey" JordisonBoy
American drummer of band Slipknot
- Lars Olof Jonathan "Nathan" SöderblomBoy
Swedish bishop; winner of the Nobel Peace Prize
- Nathan LithgowBoy
son of American actor John Lithgow
- Nathan HawesBoy
Australian pop singer
- Nathan Cole SomBoy
American child model
- Nathan FurstBoy
American composer; son of actor Stephen Furst
- Nathan MandrellBoy
son of singer Barbara Mandrell
- Nathan Howsmon DavisBoy
son of singer Jonathan Davis
- Kenneth Nathaniel "Nathan" BatesBoy
5th child (3rd son) of reality TV's "Bringing Up Bates" family
- Nathan ChenBoy
American Olympic figure skater
- Nathan AndersonBoy
son of actor/comedian Anthony Anderson
- Nathan Garson (adopted 2009)Boy
son of actor Willie Garson
- Nathan FieldsBoy
son of model/TV personality Janice Dickinson and Simon Fields
- Nathan CarrollBoy
son of NFL coach Pete Carroll
- Nathan Powell Holroyd (b. 2011)Boy
son of actors Scott Holroyd and Allison Munn
- Nathan Sileshi (b. 2015)Boy
son of runners Tirunesh Dibaba and Sileshi Sihine
- Nathan FielderBoy
Canadian writer and comedian
- Nathan "Nate" FueresteinBoy
American rapper
- Nathan AkeBoy
Dutch professional footballer
- Nathan Joel FoleyBoy
Australian singer and children's presenter
- Nathan George HarrisonBoy
British adult entertainer
Nathan in pop culture
- NathanBoy
main character in short story "Earth Inherited" by author Justine Avery
- Nathan DetroitBoy
main character in musical "Guys & Dolls"
- Nathan ZuckermanBoy
character in novels by Philip Roth
- NathanBoy
unseen conqueror in webcomic "The Silver Eye" by Laura Hollingsworth
- Nathan FordBoy
character on TV's "Leverage"
- Nathan ByrnBoy
character in Sally Green's "Half Life Trilogy"
- Nathan Royal ScottBoy
main character on TV's "One Tree Hill"
- Nathan PetrelliBoy
character on TV's "Heroes"
- Nathan McHughBoy
character on TV's "Flight 29 Down"
- Nathan RhodesBoy
character in movie "Bridesmaids"
- Nathan GoldfrappeBoy
character in movie "The Invention of Lying"
- Nathan ClayBoy
character on TV's "Alphas"
- Nathan DrakeBoy
main character in the Uncharted video game series
- Nathan WournosBoy
character on TV's "Haven"
- Nathan DawkinsBoy
character in video game "Beyond: Two Souls"
- Prince NathanBoy
Val's son in comic strip Prince Valiant
- "Nathan the WiseBoy
" 1779 play by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing
- Nathan AlgrenBoy
main character in film "The Last Samurai"
- Captain Nathan BridgerBoy
character on TV's "Seaquest DSV"
- Nathan CopelandBoy
character in video game No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle"
- Nathan ExplosionBoy
character in animated series "Metalocalypse"
- Nathan GranthamBoy
character in movie "Creepshow"
- Nathan GravesBoy
main character in video game series "Castlevania: Circle of the Moon"
- Nathan HaleBoy
main character in video game "Resistance"
- Nathan HortonBoy
minor character on American soap "Days of Our Lives"
- Nathan LandauBoy
character in "Sophie's Choice" by William Styron
- "Nathan NeverBoy
" Italian comic book series
- Nathan SimsBoy
character in Australian mockumentary "We Can Be Heroes"
- Nathan StarkBoy
character on TV's "Eureka"
- Nathan SummersBoy
character in X,Men comics
- Nathan YoungBoy
character on TV show "Misfits"
- "Nathan for YouBoy
" show on Comedy Central
- Nathan RiggsBoy
character on TV's "Grey's Anatomy"
- Nathan “Nate” CosayBoy
character in the animated series “Infinity Train”
- Nathan “Nate” HawkinsBoy
character in “Icebreaker” by Hannah Grace