Nathaniel
Say it: na-THAN-yel/nəˈθæn.jəl/
BoyMeans god has given9 letters3 syllables
#223
in Ireland (2025)
#220 with spellings combined
21
babies in 2025
#216
best rank (2020)
399
babies since 1978
Up 60
10-year rank change
Nathaniel through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 21 | #220 |
| 2024 | 21 | #216 |
| 2023 | 19 | #230 |
| 2022 | 21 | #227 |
| 2021 | 20 | #233 |
| 2020 | 22 | #216 |
| 2019 | 17 | #262 |
| 2018 | 17 | #267 |
| 2017 | 13 | #317 |
| 2016 | 15 | #298 |
| 2015 | 16 | #280 |
| 2014 | 13 | #325 |
| 2013 | 15 | #296 |
| 2012 | 14 | #310 |
| 2011 | 21 | #245 |
| 2010 | 22 | #241 |
| 2009 | 12 | #322 |
| 2008 | 12 | #328 |
| 2007 | 9 | #342 |
| 2006 | 11 | #282 |
| 2005 | 5 | #403 |
| 2004 | 12 | #233 |
| 2003 | 9 | #275 |
| 2002 | 5 | #348 |
| 2001 | 4 | #347 |
| 1999 | 3 | #379 |
| 1998 | 5 | #280 |
| 1996 | 3 | #369 |
| 1995 | 7 | #241 |
| 1994 | 6 | #247 |
| 1986 | 3 | #317 |
| 1982 | 3 | #330 |
| 1978 | 3 | #326 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Nathaniel mean?
God has given
Hebrew, from Netan'el, reaching English through the Greek Nathanael.
Say it right
naTHANyel
The story of Nathaniel
Nathaniel comes from the Hebrew name Netan’el, which means “God has given”. It reached English through the Greek form Nathanael, the name of a follower of Jesus in the Gospel of John. The English spelling with an “i” was probably shaped by the familiar name Daniel.
It has been an English name for centuries. Shakespeare mentions a servant called Nathaniel, and one of the best-known bearers is the American novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne, author of The Scarlet Letter.
Nathaniel first appears in the CSO records in 1978, and it has been given in small but steady numbers since. It had most babies in 2010, with 22, and its best rank was number 216 in 2020. In 2025, 21 boys were named Nathaniel. In Northern Ireland its best rank was number 188 in 2006.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Nathaniel (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Nathaniel
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, Baby Names in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Nicknames
NatNate
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Nathaniel | 21 | 399 |
In Northern Ireland
#212 in 2025 with 9 babies. Best rank #188 (2006); 200 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.