Nate
A diminutive of the male given names Nathan, Nathanael and Nathaniel, and also a female given name Natalie.
Every Nate since 1880 — 4,791 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Nate
Nate is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #1,748 in 2025 with 93 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 4,791 American babies have been named Nate — about 94% boys and 6% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2007, when 181 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2000s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Nate stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Nate year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 93 | #1,748 |
| 2024 | — | — | 111 | #1,570 |
| 2023 | — | — | 110 | #1,589 |
| 2022 | — | — | 108 | #1,618 |
| 2021 | — | — | 100 | #1,662 |
| 2020 | — | — | 79 | #1,885 |
| 2019 | — | — | 76 | #1,947 |
| 2018 | — | — | 93 | #1,697 |
| 2017 | — | — | 83 | #1,816 |
| 2016 | — | — | 91 | #1,717 |
| 2015 | — | — | 94 | #1,674 |
| 2014 | — | — | 104 | #1,544 |
| 2013 | — | — | 113 | #1,464 |
| 2012 | — | — | 108 | #1,495 |
| 2011 | — | — | 132 | #1,302 |
| 2010 | — | — | 137 | #1,275 |
| 2009 | 6 | #16,670 | 126 | #1,363 |
| 2008 | — | — | 137 | #1,274 |
| 2007 | — | — | 181 | #1,046 |
| 2006 | — | — | 150 | #1,139 |
| 2005 | 5 | #18,378 | 141 | #1,148 |
| 2004 | — | — | 116 | #1,290 |
| 2003 | 5 | #17,602 | 89 | #1,474 |
| 2002 | 5 | #17,333 | 91 | #1,430 |
| 2001 | 7 | #13,059 | 78 | #1,561 |
| 2000 | — | — | 54 | #1,938 |
| 1995 | 5 | #15,046 | 35 | #2,283 |
| 1990 | 10 | #8,316 | 21 | #3,027 |
| 1985 | 9 | #7,363 | 23 | #2,339 |
| 1980 | 23 | #3,574 | 21 | #2,419 |
| 1975 | 7 | #7,704 | 30 | #1,690 |
| 1970 | 7 | #6,824 | 22 | #1,918 |
| 1965 | — | — | 25 | #1,582 |
| 1960 | — | — | 40 | #1,249 |
| 1955 | — | — | 19 | #1,832 |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | 10 | #2,346 |
| 1940 | — | — | 13 | #2,055 |
| 1935 | — | — | 13 | #2,100 |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | 8 | #3,319 |
| 1920 | — | — | 8 | #3,403 |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | 5 | #1,019 |
Famous people named Nate
- Nate Thurmond Basketball player · 1941–2016
- Nate Archibald Basketball player · b. 1948
- Nate Dogg Singer · 1969–2011
- Nate Brooks Athlete · 1933–2020
- Nate Robinson Basketball player · b. 1984
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Nate mean?
A diminutive of the male given names Nathan, Nathanael and Nathaniel, and also a female given name Natalie.
How popular is the name Nate in 2025?
Nate ranked #1,748 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 93 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Nate?
4,791 babies have been named Nate in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Nate most popular?
Nate peaked in 2007, when 181 newborns received the name.
Is Nate a boy or girl name?
Nate is used for both: about 6% of babies named Nate have been girls and 94% boys.
Is the name Nate rising or falling?
Nate has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Nate?
Well-known people named Nate include Nate Thurmond (basketball player), Nate Archibald (basketball player), Nate Dogg (singer).