Nathan

#14,942 for girls in 2025, 5 births · #63 for boys in 2025, 4,975 births
Given to boys 99.7% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
2004 · 14,634 births
Debut · boys
114 births
In top 100 · boys
54 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · boys
587,497
since 1880

Nathan over time

boys

Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100rank188019001920194019601980200020201978peak #20, 2004boys
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#14,9425#634,975
2024#11,1228#625,029
2023—#595,073
2022#13,5926#575,544
2021#13,4646#595,432
2020—#555,702
2019—#556,090
2018#9,80610#486,850
2017#11,6158#457,442
2016#14,3316#438,000
2015#10,8669#388,600
2014#10,9559#388,997
2013#11,0009#319,721
2012#7,45616#2910,431
2011#9,72311#2810,523
2010#11,2469#2711,380
2009#7,34117#2512,135
2008#8,52914#2113,262
2007#7,09218#2413,605
2006#5,90622#2314,278
2005#4,26732#2014,365
2004#2,65262#2014,634
2003#4,80426#2613,667
2002#4,28029#2813,224
2001#6,06718#3112,647
2000#6,80815#3013,040
1999#5,42419#3212,538
1998#9,2609#3411,586
1997#6,16315#3410,442
1996#4,30624#3710,287
1995#5,01919#3910,306
1994#3,30234#4010,386
1993#3,87727#4110,199
1992#4,84920#4410,154
1991#3,72228#4210,500
1990#4,00325#4410,934
1989#2,61843#4310,904
1988#2,44744#4410,154
1987#1,86062#459,910
1986#1,80263#439,996
1985#1,42489#4010,653
1984#1,55073#3810,614
1983#1,37986#4010,557
1982#1,65369#3610,805
1981#1,66369#3611,256
1980#1,55275#3611,138
1979#1,73163#3710,719
1978#1,76558#369,890
1977#2,06346#369,886
1976#1,99644#398,611
1975#2,23237#457,069
1974#2,61628#525,844
1973#2,83024#634,734
1972#2,74725#793,512
1971#3,50818#1043,047
1970#4,49212#1302,545
1969#4,19812#1541,908
1968#3,78913#1631,654
1967#5,4577#1801,432
1966—#1791,422
1965#4,8318#1811,417
1964—#1881,500
1963#6,5925#1941,540
1962—#1981,532
1961#4,8828#1991,489
1960#5,1687#1901,630
1959#4,3009#2071,378
1958#3,74711#2141,237
1957#6,0865#2151,225
1956—#2221,099
1955#5,2086#232950
1954—#225959
1953—#237806
1952—#229851
1951—#222870
1950—#243751
1949—#251660
1948—#263620
1947—#273617
1946—#271557
1945—#267488
1944—#262507
1943#4,6915#244581
1942—#253523
1941—#243527
1940—#243497
1939#3,4297#246468
1938—#232515
1937—#258434
1936—#243464
1935—#248468
1934—#245469
1933—#259413
1932—#243486
1931#3,4977#258442
1930#4,0476#234540
1929#3,1379#239513
1928—#235548
1927#3,8757#210636
1926—#206669
1925#4,9735#219615
1924—#204680
1923—#187739
1922#5,0095#185749
1921#4,0237#186751
1920—#172815
1919—#156849
1918—#150945
1917#4,0836#148881
1916—#143904
1915#3,7956#139916
1914—#124848
1913—#127615
1912—#120581
1911—#108348
1910—#135245
1909—#128209
1908—#137178
1907—#136176
1906—#139148
1905—#130168
1904—#148131
1903—#128146
1902—#135143
1901—#127131
1900—#125186
1899—#141112
1898—#16699
1897—#119139
1896—#150110
1895—#136119
1894—#125127
1893—#131114
1892—#118144
1891—#130106
1890—#130110
1889—#116121
1888—#123129
1887—#124106
1886—#114136
1885—#132103
1884—#140100
1883—#13293
1882—#124113
1881—#13691
1880—#115114
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Nathan was already there! It came in at #115, and was given to 114 baby boys.


Quietest stretch: 1880–1891, when fewer than 140 boys a year got the name.

Where Nathan is popular in 1978

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #26 for boys · 40 births · 1 in 83 boysAKMaine: #24 for boys · 92 births · 1 in 74 boysMEVermont: #12 for boys · 54 births · 1 in 52 boysVTNew Hampshire: #19 for boys · 98 births · 1 in 56 boysNHWashington: #31 for boys · 249 births · 1 in 108 boysWAIdaho: #15 for boys · 116 births · 1 in 69 boysIDMontana: #21 for boys · 73 births · 1 in 75 boysMTNorth Dakota: #10 for boys · 107 births · 1 in 49 boysNDMinnesota: #18 for boys · 466 births · 1 in 63 boysMNIllinois: #40 for boys · 450 births · 1 in 176 boysILWisconsin: #28 for boys · 379 births · 1 in 85 boysWIMichigan: #35 for boys · 503 births · 1 in 128 boysMINew York: #71 for boys · 278 births · 1 in 397 boysNYMassachusetts: #44 for boys · 168 births · 1 in 197 boysMARhode Island: #41 for boys · 32 births · 1 in 160 boysRIOregon: #21 for boys · 230 births · 1 in 79 boysORNevada: #51 for boys · 19 births · 1 in 217 boysNVWyoming: #20 for boys · 40 births · 1 in 81 boysWYSouth Dakota: #15 for boys · 85 births · 1 in 62 boysSDIowa: #19 for boys · 340 births · 1 in 62 boysIAIndiana: #34 for boys · 337 births · 1 in 117 boysINOhio: #35 for boys · 566 births · 1 in 136 boysOHPennsylvania: #41 for boys · 461 births · 1 in 159 boysPANew Jersey: #114 for boys · 49 births · 1 in 845 boysNJConnecticut: #53 for boys · 68 births · 1 in 242 boysCTCalifornia: #42 for boys · 845 births · 1 in 200 boysCAUtah: #11 for boys · 312 births · 1 in 57 boysUTColorado: #30 for boys · 191 births · 1 in 105 boysCONebraska: #27 for boys · 136 births · 1 in 85 boysNEMissouri: #30 for boys · 327 births · 1 in 107 boysMOKentucky: #39 for boys · 194 births · 1 in 141 boysKYWest Virginia: #43 for boys · 86 births · 1 in 159 boysWVVirginia: #41 for boys · 186 births · 1 in 172 boysVAMaryland: #56 for boys · 79 births · 1 in 270 boysMDDelaware: #53 for boys · 16 births · 1 in 222 boysDEArizona: #39 for boys · 116 births · 1 in 164 boysAZNew Mexico: #37 for boys · 64 births · 1 in 158 boysNMKansas: #28 for boys · 167 births · 1 in 93 boysKSArkansas: #32 for boys · 103 births · 1 in 143 boysARTennessee: #36 for boys · 203 births · 1 in 157 boysTNNorth Carolina: #48 for boys · 169 births · 1 in 220 boysNCSouth Carolina: #66 for boys · 61 births · 1 in 335 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #86 for boys · 19 births · 1 in 404 boysDCOklahoma: #31 for boys · 151 births · 1 in 131 boysOKLouisiana: #79 for boys · 93 births · 1 in 355 boysLAMississippi: #71 for boys · 62 births · 1 in 298 boysMSAlabama: #58 for boys · 102 births · 1 in 253 boysALGeorgia: #46 for boys · 162 births · 1 in 233 boysGAHawaii: #31 for boys · 50 births · 1 in 127 boysHITexas: #44 for boys · 529 births · 1 in 218 boysTXFlorida: #59 for boys · 167 births · 1 in 305 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. North Dakota#10 · 1 in 49
  2. Utah#11 · 1 in 57
  3. Vermont#12 · 1 in 52
  4. South Dakota#15 · 1 in 62
  5. Idaho#15 · 1 in 69

Best ever in a state: #7 in Utah, 1995.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
North Dakota#101071 in 49
Utah#113121 in 57
Vermont#12541 in 52
Idaho#151161 in 69
South Dakota#15851 in 62
Minnesota#184661 in 63
Iowa#193401 in 62
New Hampshire#19981 in 56
Wyoming#20401 in 81
Montana#21731 in 75
Oregon#212301 in 79
Maine#24921 in 74
Alaska#26401 in 83
Nebraska#271361 in 85
Kansas#281671 in 93
Wisconsin#283791 in 85
Colorado#301911 in 105
Missouri#303271 in 107
Hawaii#31501 in 127
Oklahoma#311511 in 131
Washington#312491 in 108
Arkansas#321031 in 143
Indiana#343371 in 117
Michigan#355031 in 128
Ohio#355661 in 136
Tennessee#362031 in 157
New Mexico#37641 in 158
Arizona#391161 in 164
Kentucky#391941 in 141
Illinois#404501 in 176
Pennsylvania#414611 in 159
Rhode Island#41321 in 160
Virginia#411861 in 172
California#428451 in 200
West Virginia#43861 in 159
Massachusetts#441681 in 197
Texas#445291 in 218
Georgia#461621 in 233
North Carolina#481691 in 220
Nevada#51191 in 217
Connecticut#53681 in 242
Delaware#53161 in 222
Maryland#56791 in 270
Alabama#581021 in 253
Florida#591671 in 305
South Carolina#66611 in 335
Mississippi#71621 in 298
New York#712781 in 397
Louisiana#79931 in 355
District of Columbia#86191 in 404
New Jersey#114491 in 845

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Nathan
Momentum · boys
Holding steady
  • 1 spot since 2024 (#62 → #63)
  • 8 spots since 2020 (#55 → #63)
  • 25 spots since 2015 (#38 → #63)
  • Biggest jump: 31 spots in 1897 (#150 → #119)
  • Biggest drop: 47 spots in 1898 (#119 → #166)
Rise & fade · boys
124 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 2004 at #20 (14,634 births)
  • Births halved by 2018, 14 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 100 for 54 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 54 yrs · run 1972–2025
  • Top 1,000: 146 yrs · run 1880–2025
Share of babies · boys
1 in 136
  • Highest: 1 in 136 boys born in 2004 were named Nathan (0.74%)
  • Latest: 1 in 343 boys born in 2025 (0.29%)
Era · boys
The 2000s
  • 23.0% of all boys named Nathan (134,857) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s1,106#114 (1886)#126
1890s1,180#118 (1892)#135
1900s1,616#125 (1900)#133
1910s7,132#108 (1911)#135
1920s6,715#172 (1920)#204
1930s4,699#232 (1938)#247
1940s5,577#243 (1941)#257
1950s10,126#207 (1959)#225
1960s15,524#154 (1969)#183
1970s65,857#36 (1978)#62
1980s105,987#36 (1981)#40
1990s107,332#32 (1999)#39
2000s134,857#20 (2004)#25
2010s88,034#27 (2010)#38
2020s31,755#55 (2020)#59

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Nathan in 1978

girls
#1,765
58 births · 1 in 26,411 girls
boys
#36
9,890 births · 1 in 166 boys

Top girls' names in 1978

  1. #1Jennifer56,314
  2. #2Melissa28,327
  3. #3Jessica26,102
  4. #4Amy23,213
  5. #5Heather22,270
  6. #6Amanda20,520
  7. #7Angela20,517
  8. #8Sarah19,976
  9. #9Michelle18,856
  10. #10Nicole17,279
  11. #1,765Nathan58

Top boys' names in 1978

  1. #1Michael67,127
  2. #2Jason51,600
  3. #3Christopher47,236
  4. #4David40,684
  5. #5James39,894
  6. #6Matthew34,282
  7. #7John34,014
  8. #8Robert33,374
  9. #9Brian29,432
  10. #10Joseph26,663
  11. #36Nathan9,890
More about 1978

girls

1,531,859 girls got a published name in 1978; 1 in 26,411 of them was named Nathan, which outranked 84.6% of the 11,475 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 16.5% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Nathan
  1. #1,746Lorene59
  2. #1,746Minnie59
  3. #1,746Ronni59
  4. #1,765Nathan58
  5. #1,765Ammie58
  6. #1,765Bevin58
  7. #1,765Chassidy58
  8. #1,781Aime57
  9. #1,781Anisha57
  10. #1,781Billi57

Tied with 15 names at #1,765; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1977
Risers
  1. ↑ 4,240Aja#4,652 → #412
  2. ↑ 1,987Kiley#2,606 → #619
  3. ↑ 1,951Kylee#2,838 → #887
  4. ↑ 1,785Winter#2,780 → #995
  5. ↑ 1,620Kylie#2,026 → #406
Fallers
  1. ↓ 913Shalon#868 → #1,781
  2. ↓ 760Farah#854 → #1,614
  3. ↓ 519Tennille#462 → #981
  4. ↓ 398Shawnte#740 → #1,138
  5. ↓ 362Farrah#177 → #539

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,641,837 boys got a published name in 1978; 1 in 166 of them was named Nathan, which outranked 99.5% of the 6,762 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 24.6% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Nathan
  1. #33Paul11,733
  2. #34Benjamin11,414
  3. #35Chad10,107
  4. #36Nathan9,890
  5. #37Stephen9,854
  6. #38Gregory9,340
  7. #39Shawn9,289
Biggest movers since 1977
Risers
  1. ↑ 3,237Dequan#4,164 → #927
  2. ↑ 626Nicholaus#1,367 → #741
  3. ↑ 617Nicklaus#1,515 → #898
  4. ↑ 578Zebulon#1,476 → #898
  5. ↑ 424Anwar#1,121 → #697
Fallers
  1. ↓ 674Kinte#834 → #1,508
  2. ↓ 668Kunta#572 → #1,240
  3. ↓ 417Telly#732 → #1,149
  4. ↓ 415Lesley#937 → #1,352
  5. ↓ 310Amin#904 → #1,214

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1978 →