Nathaniel
2025 SSA
Below 5 births
About Nathaniel
Nathaniel was derived from the Hebrew name Netan’el, meaning "gift of God," composed of the elements natan, meaning "to give," and ’el, in reference to God. The name is featured several times in the Old and New Testaments, typically spelled Nathanael. In the New Testament, Nathanael is also known by his other name, Bartholomew.
Although Nathan is more popular, the more dignified Nathaniel dropped out of the Top 100 for the first time since 1977 in 2016. Despite the profusion of Nat names around, Nathaniel remains singularly appealing and distinctive, with several attractive nicknames — Nat, Natty and Nate.
A boy named Nathaniel would have any number of real life and literary namesakes to inspire him. These include Revolutionary General Nathanael Greene, enslaved rebel Nat Turner, writers Nathaniel Hawthorne and Nathanael (born Nathan) West, lithographer Nathaniel Currier, partner of Ives, and singer/pianist Nat "King" Cole.
An early literary character with the name is Sir Nathaniel in Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost. And then there was Natty Bumpo in James Fenimore Cooper's Leatherstocking Tales, Nathaniel Winkle in Dickens's The Pickwick Papers, and later Dr. Nathaniel Branden in Atlas Shrugged.
In the realm of pop culture, we find such Nathaniels as Nate Fisher in Six Feet Under, and others in The Wire, Gossip Girl and Enchanted, as well as Pirates of the Caribbean character Nathaniel Hawk.
Nathaniel is also given to girls.
Pronounced nuh-THAN-yul.
As of October 2026, Nathaniel ranked #140 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #60 in 1998, Nameberry popularity #91.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank · boys | Births · boys | US rank · girls | Births · girls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #94 | 4,317 | — | 0 |
| 2015 | #97 | 4,233 | — | 0 |
| 2016 | #103 | 3,884 | — | 0 |
| 2017 | #112 | 3,540 | — | 0 |
| 2018 | #116 | 3,389 | — | 0 |
| 2019 | #122 | 3,094 | — | 0 |
| 2020 | #125 | 2,926 | — | 0 |
| 2021 | #133 | 2,825 | — | 0 |
| 2022 | #138 | 2,700 | — | 0 |
| 2023 | #143 | 2,526 | — | 0 |
| 2024 | #144 | 2,511 | — | 0 |
| 2025 | #140 | 2,565 | — | 0 |
World rankings
Nathaniel for boys
Similar names
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Nathaniel on lists
Famous Nathaniels
- Nathaniel HawthorneBoy
American novelist
- Nathaniel Parker WillisBoy
American author, poet, and editor
- Nathaniel Joseph "Nate" RuessBoy
American singer
- Nathaniel Dwayne HaleBoy
better known as Nate Dogg, American rapper
- Nathaniel Adams ColesBoy
birth name of Nat King Cole, American singer
- Nathaniel Prentice BanksBoy
American Civil War general; 24th governor of Massachusetts
- Nathaniel MaconBoy
U.S. Senator and Speaker of the House from North Carolina
- Nathaniel SilsbeeBoy
U.S. Senator from Massachusetts
- Nathaniel Briggs BordenBoy
U.S. Congressman from Massachusetts
- Nathaniel Brown PalmerBoy
American sea captain and explorer
- Nathaniel Marvin "Nat" WolffBoy
American actor and singer,songwriter
- Nathaniel "Nate" MotteBoy
American musician
- Nathaniel BuzolicBoy
Australian actor
- Nathaniel ParkerBoy
English Actor
- Nathaniel Weller (b. 1985)Boy
son of singer Paul Weller of The Jam
- Nathaniel Fraser "Nat" Magee (b. 1990)Boy
son of actress/singer Alison Fraser and actor/comedian Rusty Magee
- Nathaniel George Caird (b. 1990)Boy
son of actress Frances Ruffelle and John Caird
- Kenneth Nathaniel "Nathan" Bates (b. 1993)Boy
5th child (3rd son) of the reality TV show "Bringing Up Bates" family
- Nathaniel Caesar Prats Linsangan (b. 2008)Boy
daughter of actress Camille Prats and Anthony C. Linsangan
- Nathaniel James III (b. 2009)Boy
son of actress Bobbi Baker and basketball player Nate James
- Nathaniel James "Nate" Alcasid (b. 2011)Boy
son of singers Regine Velazquez and Ogie Alcasid
- Nathaniel Philip Picasso Groening (b. 2013)Boy
son of "Simpsons" creator Matt Groening and Agustina Picasso
Nathaniel in pop culture
- Nathaniel "Nate" Fitzwilliam ArchibaldBoy
main character in the "Gossip Girl" series
- Nathaniel "Nate" GrayBoy
character in the "Infernal Devices" series
- Nathaniel "Nate" HeywoodBoy
character in DC's Legends of Tomorrow TV series
- Nathaniel FisherBoy
character on TV's "Six Feet Under"
- Nathanial "Nate" the GreatBoy
main character in the Nate the Great series
- Nathaniel "Baze" BasilBoy
character on TV's "Life Unexpected"
- Nathaniel HoweBoy
character in video game 'Dragon Age: Origins , Awakening'
- Nathaniel "Nat" BlakeBoy
character in 'Little Men' by Louisa May Alcott
- Nathaniel NorthwestBoy
character in animated series "Gravity Falls"
- NathanielBoy
main character in the Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud
- NathanielBoy
character in 2007 film "Enchanted"
- Nathaniel "NathBoy
" character in My Candy Love game and manga
- Parson NathanielBoy
character in Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds
- Nathaniel AyersBoy
title character in 2009 film "The Soloist"
- Nathaniel "Natty" BumppoBoy
main character in James Fenimore Cooper's novels
- Nathaniel DuskBoy
DC Comics character
- Nathaniel GarroBoy
character in tabletop game Warhammer 40,000
- Nathaniel GraisonBoy
wereleopard in the Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series by Laurell K. Hamilton
- Nathaniel HawkBoy
main character in the Pirates of the Caribbean video game
- Nathaniel HawkinsBoy
character in J.L. Langley's Sci,Regency series
- Nathaniel KentBoy
character in John Steakley's novel "Armor"
- Nathaniel "Nathan" MontenegroBoy
character on Filipino TV's "Walang Hanggan"
- Nathaniel TaggartBoy
character in Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged"
- Nathaniel TaylorBoy
character on TV's "Terra Nova"
- Sir NathanielBoy
curate in Shakespeare's "Love's Labor's Lost"
- Nathaniel "Nat" EatonBoy
character in Elizabeth George Speare's "The Witch of Blackbird Pond"
- Nathaniel KurtzbergBoy
character in TV show "Miraculous Ladybug"
- Nathaniel Plimpton IIIBoy
character on TV's "Crazy Ex,Girlfriend"