Where does the name Nathaniel come from?

Nathaniel is a boy name of Hebrew origin.

Is Nathaniel a boy or a girl name?

Nathaniel is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name Nathaniel are girls and 100% are boys.

How popular is the name Nathaniel in 2023?

Nathaniel ranks #143 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 2002 with 6,829 babies.

How do you pronounce Nathaniel?

Nathaniel is pronounced na-THAN-yel (3 syllables).

What are common spellings of Nathaniel?

Nathaniel is also written as Nathan, Nathanael, Natanael.

A name from Hebrew · Boy

Nathaniel

From Hebrew Netanel meaning 'gift of God' — a compound of natan ('he gave') and el ('God'). One of Jesus's twelve apostles, traditionally identified with Bartholomew.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

282,018 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

2,533 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

NFrom Hebrew Netanel meaning 'gift of God' — a compound of natan ('he gave') and el ('God'). One of Jesus's twelve apostles, traditionally identified with Bartholomew.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Nathaniel".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Nathan Most common Nathanael Natanael

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Nathaniel.

N
Nathaniel Hawthorne (author of The Scarlet Letter)
N
Nathaniel Rateliff (musician)

Quick answers

People often ask about Nathaniel.

What does the name Nathaniel mean?: Nathaniel means from Hebrew Netanel meaning 'gift of God' — a compound of natan ('he gave') and el ('God'). One of Jesus's twelve apostles, traditionally identified with Bartholomew.
Where does the name Nathaniel come from?: Nathaniel is a boy name of Hebrew origin.
Is Nathaniel a boy or a girl name?: Nathaniel is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name Nathaniel are girls and 100% are boys.
How popular is the name Nathaniel in 2023?: Nathaniel ranks #143 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 2002 with 6,829 babies.
How do you pronounce Nathaniel?: Nathaniel is pronounced na-THAN-yel (3 syllables).
What are common spellings of Nathaniel?: Nathaniel is also written as Nathan, Nathanael, Natanael.

Similar names

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Mary

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Bitter; beloved; wished-for child

God is my oath; consecrated to God

About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.