ESC Name Rank Total Searching... No names found Try searching for: Emma, Liam, Olivia, Noah... 👦As Boy Name 1880 First Year 2026 Last Year 2007 Peak Year #909 Peak Rank 5K Total Count 110 Years Active 👧As Girl Name 1968 First Year 2009 Last Year 1980 Peak Year #3506 Peak Rank 301 Total Count 33 Years Active Advertisement 🌍 ## Meaning & Origin of Nate What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures. Nate is a given name, frequently used as a diminutive of Nathan, Nathanael or Nathaniel. Source: [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nate%5F%28given%5Fname%29) (CC BY-SA 3.0). [Read more → ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nate%5F%28given%5Fname%29) ### Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name) * English 📖 ## The Story of Nate ### As a girl name Nate first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1968, with 7 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1980: 23 births, good for #3,506 nationwide. The 1980s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 37% of all recorded Nates. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2009 (6 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 301 Nates have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s. ### As a boy name American parents first put Nate on the record books as a boy name in 1880, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2007, when 181 Nates were born — ranking #1,038 that year. The 2000s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 25% of all recorded Nates. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #1,497 among boy names with 120 births, rising sharply (+31% over the past five years). In total, more than 5K Nates have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s. ## Popularity Over Time Girls Boys ## Popularity by State 👧 Girls 👦 Boys ME WA MT ND MN WI MI NY VT NH MA OR ID SD IA IL IN OH PA NJ CT RI CA NV WY NE MO KY WV VA MD DE DC UT CO KS AR TN NC SC AK AZ NM OK LA MS AL GA HI TX FL Top 10 11-50 51-100 101-500 500+ No data 🔗 ## Variants & Related Forms of Nate Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Nate. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name. * [Nat](/nat) * [Nathan](/nathan) * [Nathaniel](/nathaniel) 🎶 ## Names that sound like Nate Phonetically similar names — useful when Nate is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name. * Nait * Nayt * [Night](/night) * Net * Neat * [Knight](/knight) * Knot * Knit * Naught * [Nat](/nat) * [Newt](/newt) * Gnat Source: [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/). Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated. ❓ ## Frequently Asked Questions about Nate What does the name Nate mean? Nate is a given name, frequently used as a diminutive of Nathan, Nathanael or Nathaniel. What is the origin of the name Nate? Nate has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: English. How popular is Nate in 2026? In 2026, Nate ranks #1,497 among boys' names in the U.S., with 120 babies given the name that year. When was Nate most popular? Nate reached its peak popularity in 2007, ranking #909 that year with 181 babies given the name. In which U.S. states is Nate most popular? Nate has historically been most popular in North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Nate. Is Nate a unisex name? Yes — Nate is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 6% of Nates assigned female and 94% assigned male historically. What names go well with Nate? Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Nate include Abbott, Hays, Jabez. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data. What are nicknames or variants of Nate? Common variants and related forms of Nate include Nat, Nathan, Nathaniel. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms. ## Similar Names ### 👦 Similar Boy Names [👦AbbottPeak #909](/abbott)[👦HaysPeak #909](/hays)[👦JabezPeak #909](/jabez)[👦MeridaPeak #909](/merida) ### 👧 Similar Girl Names [👧SueellenPeak #3506](/sueellen)[👧ShermainePeak #3506](/shermaine)[👧DawniellePeak #3506](/dawnielle)[👧MalekaPeak #3506](/maleka) Advertisement ## About the name Nate Nate is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 5K births in the dataset. Nate's peak popularity came in 2007 when it ranked #909\. Use the chart and map above to compare Nate's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices. ### Continue exploring * [ Top names of 2007 → ](/year/2007) * [ Names of the 2000s → ](/decade/2000s) * [ Names starting with "N" → ](/letter/n) * [ Browse all boy names → ](/names/boys) * [ Top names of 2026 → ](/year/2026) * [ Browse unisex names → ](/names/unisex) Data sources * Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. [Social Security Administration ](https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/). Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships. * Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — [Behind the Name ](https://www.behindthename.com/) (used under their public API terms). * Meaning prose and editorial summary — [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/) article extracts, licensed under [CC BY-SA 3.0 ](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/). * Predicted nationality distribution — [Nationalize.io ](https://nationalize.io/). * Phonetically similar names — [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/). Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides. Advertisement