Nathaniel carries the long vowels of an old hymn and the warmth of a well-worn Bible. From the Hebrew Netan'el, meaning gift of God, it appears in both the Old and New Testaments, and it has been borne by the American novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne and the Revolutionary general Nathanael Greene. It now sits at 144 on the American boys chart, a quietly enduring classic. Four syllables unfurl gracefully, na-THAN-yel, the soft TH lending gravity. Nicknames Nate, Nat, and the more formal Than give parents plenty of room. Scholarly, tender, handsome in a sincere and unhurried way. A name that grows up beautifully.
Popularity
1880 to today
US SSA data. Lower rank number means more popular. A flat line at the top of the chart means the name did not rank in the top 1000.
Nicknames
No common nicknames.
Middle name ideas
All middle names for NathanielFamous people
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In fiction
No fictional associations tracked.
Sibling name ideas
- Malachi
- Emilio
- Giovanni
- Harrison
- Nicholas
Similar energy
- Malachi
- Emilio
- Giovanni
- Harrison
- Nicholas
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Rising· boy
Spanish/Italian form of Latin Aemilius, 'rival' or 'striving'
Giovanni
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Italian form of John; Hebrew Yochanan, 'God is gracious'
Harrison
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English patronymic, 'son of Harry'; from Germanic heimric, 'home ruler'
Nicholas
Falling· boy
From Greek Nikolaos, 'victory of the people'