Boy name · Hebrew
Nathaniel
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: God has givenNathaniel is a boy's name that comes from Hebrew and means "God has given". It is used in English.
- Meaning
- God has given
- Origin
- Hebrew
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #140 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Nathaniel
As a boy's name, Nathaniel comes from Hebrew and means "God has given". It is used in English.
Meaning checked against Behind the Name. How we research names
Nathaniel on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Nathaniel on 3 lists.
“God has given; Hebrew. Disciple Jesus saw under the fig tree, John 1 (Nathanael in most Bibles)”
From Biblical names, names that honor God
“God has given; Hebrew. Long biblical classic”
From Boy middle names, long middle names for short first names
“Hebrew for 'God has given'”
From Priest names, priestly names from Latin, Greek and Hebrew
How popular is Nathaniel?
- US rank in 2025
- #140
- 2,565 babies, 1,502 per million boys
- Best rank
- #60 in 1998
- Most babies: 6,813 in 2002
- Babies since 1880
- At least 287,103
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 503 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 600 per million |
| 1900s | 842 per million |
| 1910s | 718 per million |
| 1920s | 707 per million |
| 1930s | 701 per million |
| 1940s | 637 per million |
| 1950s | 613 per million |
| 1960s | 529 per million |
| 1970s | 1,162 per million |
| 1980s | 2,094 per million |
| 1990s | 2,699 per million |
| 2000s | 3,220 per million |
| 2010s | 2,228 per million |
| 2020s | 1,552 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #103 | #112 | #116 | #122 | #125 | #133 | #138 | #143 | #144 | #140 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Nicknames for Nathaniel
Established short forms and pet names, not made-up ones.
- Natecommon English nickname
- Natth becomes t: Nathaniel, Nat
- Nathancommon English nickname
Other forms of Nathaniel
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- IonatánGod has given (Hebrew, boy)
- NatanaelGod has given (Hebrew, boy)
- NetanelGod has given (Hebrew, boy)
- YonatanGod has given (Hebrew, boy)
Names with a similar meaning
- JonathanYahweh has given (Hebrew, boy)
- SimonHe has heard (Hebrew, boy)
- EleazarGod has helped (Hebrew, boy)
- SimoneHe has heard (Hebrew, girl)
- BenaiahGod has built (Hebrew, boy)
- BogdanGiven by God (Slavic, boy)
- ElianaMy God has answered (Hebrew, girl)
- EvelynFrom a surname derived from the given name Aveline (English, girl)
- ZephaniahGod has hidden (Hebrew, boy)
- AbebeHe has blossomed (Amharic, boy)
Middle names for Nathaniel
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Hebrew
- AdamMan, humankind (Hebrew, boy)
- DavidBeloved one (Hebrew, boy)
- DanielGod is my judge (Hebrew, boy)
- NoahRest, repose (Hebrew, boy)
- EliasMy God is Yahweh (Hebrew, boy)
- GabrielGod is my strength (Hebrew, boy)
- AxelMy father is peace (Hebrew, boy)
- BenjaminSon of the right hand (Hebrew, boy)
- IsaacHe will laugh (Hebrew, boy)
- JanGod is gracious (Hebrew, boy)
Nathaniel: common questions
What does the name Nathaniel mean?
Nathaniel comes from Hebrew and means "God has given". Checked against Behind the Name.
Is Nathaniel a boy or girl name?
Nathaniel is mainly a boy's name.
What are nicknames for Nathaniel?
Common nicknames for Nathaniel include Nate, Nat and Nathan.
How popular is the name Nathaniel?
Nathaniel ranked #140 in the US in 2025, with 2,565 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Nathaniel?
Forms of Nathaniel with the same meaning and origin include Ionatán (Irish), Natanael (Spanish), Netanel (Hebrew) and Yonatan (Hebrew).
What middle names go with Nathaniel?
Middle names that flow well with Nathaniel include Dean, Elton, Finn, Jack and Jonah. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.