Nathanael
From Ancient Greek Ναθαναήλ (Nathanaḗl), from Biblical Hebrew נְתַנְאֵל (Netan'el, literally “God has given”).
Every Nathanael since 1915 — 22,244 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Nathanael
Nathanael is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #632 in 2025 with 442 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1915, 22,244 American babies have been named Nathanael. Its peak came in 2000, when 609 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2000s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Nathanael stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Nathanael year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 442 | #632 |
| 2024 | — | — | 407 | #674 |
| 2023 | 5 | #16,893 | 369 | #719 |
| 2022 | — | — | 325 | #779 |
| 2021 | — | — | 317 | #781 |
| 2020 | — | — | 345 | #721 |
| 2019 | — | — | 348 | #710 |
| 2018 | — | — | 337 | #717 |
| 2017 | — | — | 402 | #644 |
| 2016 | — | — | 431 | #621 |
| 2015 | — | — | 480 | #580 |
| 2014 | — | — | 477 | #583 |
| 2013 | — | — | 471 | #560 |
| 2012 | — | — | 438 | #584 |
| 2011 | — | — | 433 | #579 |
| 2010 | — | — | 475 | #538 |
| 2009 | — | — | 586 | #467 |
| 2008 | — | — | 531 | #513 |
| 2007 | — | — | 598 | #462 |
| 2006 | — | — | 594 | #455 |
| 2005 | — | — | 577 | #448 |
| 2004 | — | — | 595 | #436 |
| 2003 | — | — | 539 | #467 |
| 2002 | — | — | 539 | #454 |
| 2001 | — | — | 544 | #446 |
| 2000 | — | — | 609 | #408 |
| 1995 | — | — | 476 | #467 |
| 1990 | — | — | 356 | #523 |
| 1985 | — | — | 352 | #458 |
| 1980 | — | — | 348 | #447 |
| 1975 | — | — | 163 | #634 |
| 1970 | — | — | 41 | #1,311 |
| 1965 | — | — | 11 | #2,574 |
| 1960 | — | — | 10 | #2,808 |
| 1955 | — | — | 7 | #3,408 |
| 1950 | — | — | 11 | #2,398 |
| 1945 | — | — | 7 | #2,914 |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | 8 | #2,874 |
| 1930 | — | — | 9 | #2,938 |
| 1925 | — | — | 7 | #3,637 |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | 6 | #3,707 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Nathanael
- Nathanael West Writer · 1903–1940
- Nathanael Greene Military personnel · 1742–1786
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Nathanael mean?
From Ancient Greek Ναθαναήλ (Nathanaḗl), from Biblical Hebrew נְתַנְאֵל (Netan'el, literally “God has given”).
How popular is the name Nathanael in 2025?
Nathanael ranked #632 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 442 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Nathanael?
22,244 babies have been named Nathanael in the United States since 1915, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Nathanael most popular?
Nathanael peaked in 2000, when 609 newborns received the name.
Is Nathanael a boy or girl name?
Nathanael is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Nathanael rising or falling?
Nathanael has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Nathanael?
Well-known people named Nathanael include Nathanael West (writer), Nathanael Greene (military personnel).