Meaning, origin, history
Nathaniel is a name of Hebrew origin, meaning "gift from God". It is composed of the elements "natan", which means "to give", and "yâlekh", which means "of God". The name Nathaniel was first introduced to Western culture through the New Testament of the Bible, where it is used as one of the names of Saint Nathanael. In the Gospel of John, Nathanael is described as a man from Cana in Galilee who is called by Jesus to be his disciple. Throughout history, many notable figures have been named Nathaniel, including the English poet and dramatist Thomas Nash (1567-1601) and American politician Nathaniel Gorham (1738-1796). Today, Nathaniel continues to be a popular choice for boys' names in many countries around the world.
In numbers
Popularity of the name Nathaniel since 1880
Total births
281,917
Total since 1880
Peak year
2002
6,813 births
in 2023
2,507
Recent births (5 years)
5-year trend
-15%
↘
vs previous 5 years