Nathan
From Hebrew נָתָן (natán, “gave”).
Every Nathan since 1880 — 589,271 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Nathan
Nathan is a top-100 name for boys in the United States, ranked #63 in 2025 with 4,975 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 589,271 American babies have been named Nathan. Its peak came in 2004, when 14,696 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 Nathan stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Nathan 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 | 5 | #16,565 | 4,975 | #63 |
| 2024 | 8 | #11,851 | 5,029 | #62 |
| 2023 | — | — | 5,073 | #59 |
| 2022 | 6 | #14,803 | 5,544 | #57 |
| 2021 | 6 | #14,745 | 5,432 | #59 |
| 2020 | — | — | 5,702 | #55 |
| 2019 | — | — | 6,090 | #55 |
| 2018 | 10 | #10,348 | 6,850 | #48 |
| 2017 | 8 | #12,424 | 7,442 | #45 |
| 2016 | 6 | #15,671 | 8,000 | #43 |
| 2015 | 9 | #11,582 | 8,600 | #38 |
| 2014 | 9 | #11,678 | 8,997 | #38 |
| 2013 | 9 | #11,699 | 9,721 | #31 |
| 2012 | 16 | #7,703 | 10,431 | #29 |
| 2011 | 11 | #10,212 | 10,523 | #28 |
| 2010 | 9 | #11,982 | 11,380 | #27 |
| 2009 | 17 | #7,593 | 12,135 | #25 |
| 2008 | 14 | #8,846 | 13,262 | #21 |
| 2007 | 18 | #7,318 | 13,605 | #24 |
| 2006 | 22 | #6,072 | 14,278 | #23 |
| 2005 | 32 | #4,342 | 14,365 | #20 |
| 2004 | 62 | #2,670 | 14,634 | #20 |
| 2003 | 26 | #4,902 | 13,667 | #26 |
| 2002 | 29 | #4,355 | 13,224 | #28 |
| 2001 | 18 | #6,236 | 12,647 | #31 |
| 2000 | 15 | #7,051 | 13,040 | #30 |
| 1995 | 19 | #5,167 | 10,306 | #39 |
| 1990 | 25 | #4,082 | 10,934 | #44 |
| 1985 | 89 | #1,426 | 10,653 | #40 |
| 1980 | 75 | #1,565 | 11,138 | #36 |
| 1975 | 37 | #2,265 | 7,069 | #45 |
| 1970 | 12 | #4,680 | 2,545 | #130 |
| 1965 | 8 | #5,157 | 1,417 | #182 |
| 1960 | 7 | #5,541 | 1,630 | #190 |
| 1955 | 6 | #5,657 | 950 | #232 |
| 1950 | — | — | 751 | #243 |
| 1945 | — | — | 488 | #267 |
| 1940 | — | — | 497 | #243 |
| 1935 | — | — | 468 | #248 |
| 1930 | 6 | #4,408 | 540 | #234 |
| 1925 | 5 | #5,550 | 615 | #219 |
| 1920 | — | — | 815 | #172 |
| 1915 | 6 | #4,109 | 916 | #139 |
| 1910 | — | — | 245 | #135 |
| 1905 | — | — | 168 | #131 |
| 1900 | — | — | 186 | #126 |
| 1895 | — | — | 119 | #136 |
| 1890 | — | — | 110 | #130 |
| 1885 | — | — | 103 | #132 |
| 1880 | — | — | 114 | #115 |
Famous people named Nathan
- Nathan Religious figure · -1000–-1000
- Nathan Söderblom Religious figure · 1866–1931
- Nathan Mayer Rothschild Businessperson · 1777–1836
- Nathan Rosen Physicist · 1909–1995
- Nathan Bedford Forrest Military personnel · 1821–1877
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Nathan mean?
From Hebrew נָתָן (natán, “gave”).
How popular is the name Nathan in 2025?
Nathan ranked #63 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 4,975 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Nathan?
589,271 babies have been named Nathan in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Nathan most popular?
Nathan peaked in 2004, when 14,696 newborns received the name.
Is Nathan a boy or girl name?
Nathan is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Nathan rising or falling?
Nathan is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Nathan?
Well-known people named Nathan include Nathan (religious figure), Nathan Söderblom (religious figure), Nathan Mayer Rothschild (businessperson).