Nathan

At a Glance: Name: Nathan – Meaning: he gave – Origin: Hebrew – Gender: Boy – Pronunciation: NAY-thun

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Nathan is a Hebrew name meaning 'he gave.' You may have heard it defined as 'gift from God,' but that fuller meaning actually belongs to the related name Nathaniel; Nathan on its own traces only to the Hebrew verb 'to give.' It has a timeless, classic feel, pronounced NAY-thun (/ˈneɪθən/).

Meaning & Origin of Nathan

Meaning: He gave.

Origin: Hebrew.

A common claim: Nathan is often said to mean 'gift from God.' Actually: That fuller meaning belongs to the related name Nathaniel ('God has given'); Nathan alone traces only to the Hebrew verb 'to give' — 'he gave,' without the 'God' element.

Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.

How to Pronounce Nathan

Phonetic: NAY-thun   IPA: /ˈneɪθən/

Popularity of Nathan

According to Social Security data going back to 1880, Nathan peaked at #20 in 2004 with 14,633 babies given the name, and by 2024 it had eased to #62 with 5,010 — still in regular use, just further from its early-2000s high.

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.

Make Nathan Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Nathan, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.

Names With a Similar Story

Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.

• Abel
• Abraham
• Adam
• Aron
• Aziel
• Baruch

FAQ

What does the name Nathan mean?

He gave. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Nathan)

How do you pronounce Nathan?

Nathan is pronounced NAY-thun (IPA: /ˈneɪθən/).

Is Nathan a popular name right now?

Nathan peaked at #20 in 2004 and is ranked #62 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)

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