Nathanial
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 Nathanial
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 Nathanial
Nathanial first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1999, when 371 Nathanials were born — ranking #545 that year. As of 2026, Nathanial ranks #3,869 for baby boys with 29 births, falling sharply (-24%). In total, more than 11K Nathanials have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Nathanial
Phonetically similar names — useful when Nathanial 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 Nathanial
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About the name Nathanial
Nathanial is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 11K births in the dataset. Nathanial's peak popularity came in 1999 when it ranked #543. Use the chart and map above to compare Nathanial's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1999 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "N" →
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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.