Nathanael
Nathanael is an English name of Hebrew origin. It is of Biblical origin and holds significance for Jews and Christians. Several figures in both the Old and New Testament bear the name.
Meaning & Origin of Nathanael
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Nathanael is an English name of Hebrew origin. It is of Biblical origin and holds significance for Jews and Christians. Several figures in both the Old and New Testament bear the name.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Nathanael
Nathanael first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1915, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2000, when 609 Nathanaels were born — ranking #408 that year. As of 2026, Nathanael ranks #677 for baby boys with 404 births, gradually rising (+8%). In total, more than 23K Nathanaels have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Nathanael
Phonetically similar names — useful when Nathanael is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Nathanael
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About the name Nathanael
Nathanael is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1915 and has accumulated 23K births in the dataset. Nathanael's peak popularity came in 2000 when it ranked #405. Use the chart and map above to compare Nathanael's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2000 →
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- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . 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 (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
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.