Nathaniel

Last seen for girls in 2022 at #13,592 · #140 for boys in 2025, 2,565 births
Given to boys 99.6% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
1998 · 6,427 births
Debut · boys
60 births
In top 100 · boys
38 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · boys
287,103
since 1880

Nathaniel over time

boys

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

#1#10#100rank188019001920194019601980200020201986peak #60, 1998boys
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—#1402,565
2024—#1442,520
2023—#1432,533
2022#13,5926#1382,706
2021—#1332,834
2020#13,4536#1252,930
2019—#1223,097
2018—#1163,391
2017—#1123,541
2016#14,3316#1033,887
2015—#964,234
2014—#944,317
2013#14,5826#914,538
2012—#844,795
2011#8,61413#844,980
2010#14,9596#815,110
2009#11,4599#755,426
2008#12,5798#775,858
2007#11,6309#826,067
2006#12,4208#696,627
2005#13,0107#676,689
2004#3,98935#686,675
2003#15,7845#636,666
2002#6,69816#626,813
2001#6,32217#616,646
2000#7,15814#616,797
1999#7,71612#626,467
1998#9,2609#606,427
1997#12,0706#655,775
1996#10,5677#695,420
1995#6,64113#735,203
1994#8,12210#785,029
1993#8,7199#754,854
1992#6,65213#794,687
1991#9,3368#844,367
1990#5,28617#864,348
1989#5,54515#844,121
1988#4,01522#814,054
1987#3,03131#784,050
1986#2,62037#784,032
1985#3,41925#774,004
1984#3,23326#803,600
1983#2,85330#793,641
1982#2,70434#743,939
1981#3,25326#803,719
1980#3,06928#863,492
1979#3,14726#953,040
1978#3,51221#942,925
1977#3,36622#1072,500
1976#6,6118#1142,209
1975#2,56530#1311,957
1974#4,72012#1531,609
1973#3,12221#1691,391
1972#4,52312#1921,208
1971#3,94315#2001,210
1970#4,76111#2181,136
1969#3,31817#231991
1968#4,22211#235921
1967#4,30010#226976
1966#3,55813#235903
1965#3,54913#2231,071
1964#5,0088#2361,023
1963#5,8916#2331,026
1962#4,8658#2341,085
1961#4,23910#2441,049
1960#4,7738#2391,146
1959#3,82711#2351,159
1958#3,08515#2351,102
1957#2,82317#2131,262
1956#3,69611#2051,309
1955#3,22513#1951,334
1954#3,49011#2031,228
1953#3,26912#1931,267
1952#3,04013#1881,258
1951#3,10612#1871,247
1950#2,90913#1821,223
1949#3,8928#1791,192
1948#3,13711#1801,159
1947#4,7646#1871,100
1946#3,21710#186977
1945—#181853
1944#3,1399#183864
1943#4,1966#191839
1942#4,6225#188843
1941#4,4205#182829
1940#2,57211#176833
1939#4,2505#183770
1938—#186749
1937#4,2555#186703
1936#3,1038#179738
1935#3,4317#180747
1934#3,1598#174782
1933#3,1098#178728
1932#3,2748#176781
1931#4,3315#199659
1930#3,6587#185754
1929#3,6827#184760
1928#2,62312#193728
1927#3,05310#187769
1926#4,3066#176821
1925#3,11610#178810
1924#3,6658#179800
1923—#193721
1922—#175800
1921—#187748
1920—#166837
1919#3,8177#174748
1918—#193661
1917#4,0836#189640
1916—#193590
1915#4,2745#197554
1914—#185470
1913—#201337
1912—#163356
1911—#161207
1910—#139232
1909—#172143
1908—#159150
1907—#174124
1906—#177101
1905—#167117
1904—#174105
1903—#165105
1902—#18988
1901—#16392
1900—#176118
1899—#18972
1898—#17590
1897—#27243
1896—#20673
1895—#19972
1894—#19277
1893—#22458
1892—#19678
1891—#23746
1890—#17875
1889—#23348
1888—#22163
1887—#20357
1886—#22059
1885—#22054
1884—#22156
1883—#22149
1882—#21757
1881—#22048
1880—#20060
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Nathaniel was already there! It came in at #200, and was given to 60 baby boys.


Quietest stretch: 1897, when fewer than 44 boys a year got the name.

Where Nathaniel is popular in 1986

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #69 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 264 boysAKMaine: #60 for boys · 32 births · 1 in 227 boysMEVermont: #62 for boys · 15 births · 1 in 221 boysVTNew Hampshire: #73 for boys · 19 births · 1 in 367 boysNHWashington: #70 for boys · 97 births · 1 in 323 boysWAIdaho: #80 for boys · 19 births · 1 in 358 boysIDMontana: #68 for boys · 21 births · 1 in 249 boysMTNorth Dakota: #70 for boys · 19 births · 1 in 271 boysNDMinnesota: #72 for boys · 83 births · 1 in 370 boysMNIllinois: #76 for boys · 192 births · 1 in 416 boysILWisconsin: #60 for boys · 125 births · 1 in 266 boysWIMichigan: #84 for boys · 136 births · 1 in 469 boysMINew York: #91 for boys · 217 births · 1 in 563 boysNYMassachusetts: #67 for boys · 102 births · 1 in 385 boysMARhode Island: #69 for boys · 16 births · 1 in 374 boysRIOregon: #68 for boys · 59 births · 1 in 305 boysORNevada: #105 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 532 boysNVWyoming: #80 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 347 boysWYSouth Dakota: #73 for boys · 16 births · 1 in 299 boysSDIowa: #78 for boys · 49 births · 1 in 370 boysIAIndiana: #60 for boys · 147 births · 1 in 251 boysINOhio: #64 for boys · 244 births · 1 in 309 boysOHPennsylvania: #80 for boys · 170 births · 1 in 454 boysPANew Jersey: #157 for boys · 39 births · 1 in 1,220 boysNJConnecticut: #90 for boys · 38 births · 1 in 535 boysCTCalifornia: #114 for boys · 414 births · 1 in 551 boysCAUtah: #114 for boys · 29 births · 1 in 570 boysUTColorado: #62 for boys · 84 births · 1 in 300 boysCONebraska: #62 for boys · 46 births · 1 in 242 boysNEMissouri: #66 for boys · 104 births · 1 in 346 boysMOKentucky: #68 for boys · 77 births · 1 in 311 boysKYWest Virginia: #62 for boys · 39 births · 1 in 285 boysWVVirginia: #68 for boys · 102 births · 1 in 371 boysVAMaryland: #87 for boys · 56 births · 1 in 505 boysMDDelaware: #76 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 397 boysDEArizona: #74 for boys · 79 births · 1 in 344 boysAZNew Mexico: #67 for boys · 42 births · 1 in 270 boysNMKansas: #78 for boys · 50 births · 1 in 345 boysKSArkansas: #77 for boys · 45 births · 1 in 328 boysARTennessee: #72 for boys · 85 births · 1 in 368 boysTNNorth Carolina: #75 for boys · 96 births · 1 in 426 boysNCSouth Carolina: #80 for boys · 49 births · 1 in 430 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #55 for boys · 32 births · 1 in 234 boysDCOklahoma: #113 for boys · 38 births · 1 in 592 boysOKLouisiana: #94 for boys · 70 births · 1 in 486 boysLAMississippi: #76 for boys · 45 births · 1 in 379 boysMSAlabama: #93 for boys · 53 births · 1 in 477 boysALGeorgia: #76 for boys · 112 births · 1 in 395 boysGAHawaii: #80 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 361 boysHITexas: #133 for boys · 218 births · 1 in 671 boysTXFlorida: #90 for boys · 145 births · 1 in 527 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. District of Columbia#55 · 1 in 234
  2. Maine#60 · 1 in 227
  3. Indiana#60 · 1 in 251
  4. Wisconsin#60 · 1 in 266
  5. Vermont#62 · 1 in 221

Best ever in a state: #26 in Alaska, 2000.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
District of Columbia#55321 in 234
Indiana#601471 in 251
Maine#60321 in 227
Wisconsin#601251 in 266
Colorado#62841 in 300
Nebraska#62461 in 242
Vermont#62151 in 221
West Virginia#62391 in 285
Ohio#642441 in 309
Missouri#661041 in 346
Massachusetts#671021 in 385
New Mexico#67421 in 270
Kentucky#68771 in 311
Montana#68211 in 249
Oregon#68591 in 305
Virginia#681021 in 371
Alaska#69181 in 264
Rhode Island#69161 in 374
North Dakota#70191 in 271
Washington#70971 in 323
Minnesota#72831 in 370
Tennessee#72851 in 368
New Hampshire#73191 in 367
South Dakota#73161 in 299
Arizona#74791 in 344
North Carolina#75961 in 426
Delaware#76101 in 397
Georgia#761121 in 395
Illinois#761921 in 416
Mississippi#76451 in 379
Arkansas#77451 in 328
Iowa#78491 in 370
Kansas#78501 in 345
Hawaii#80181 in 361
Idaho#80191 in 358
Pennsylvania#801701 in 454
South Carolina#80491 in 430
Wyoming#8091 in 347
Michigan#841361 in 469
Maryland#87561 in 505
Connecticut#90381 in 535
Florida#901451 in 527
New York#912171 in 563
Alabama#93531 in 477
Louisiana#94701 in 486
Nevada#105121 in 532
Oklahoma#113381 in 592
California#1144141 in 551
Utah#114291 in 570
Texas#1332181 in 671
New Jersey#157391 in 1,220

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 Nathaniel
Momentum · boys
Holding steady
  • 4 spots since 2024 (#144 → #140)
  • 15 spots since 2020 (#125 → #140)
  • 44 spots since 2015 (#96 → #140)
  • Biggest jump: 97 spots in 1898 (#272 → #175)
  • Biggest drop: 66 spots in 1897 (#206 → #272)
Rise & fade · boys
118 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1998 at #60 (6,427 births)
  • Births halved by 2019, 21 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 100 for 38 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 38 yrs · run 1978–2015
  • Top 1,000: 146 yrs · run 1880–2025
Share of babies · boys
1 in 285
  • Highest: 1 in 285 boys born in 2002 were named Nathaniel (0.35%)
  • Latest: 1 in 666 boys born in 2025 (0.15%)
  • Its best rank, #60 in 1998, was only 1 in 297 (0.34%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · boys
The 2000s
  • 22.4% of all boys named Nathaniel (64,264) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s551#200 (1880)#218
1890s684#175 (1898)#207
1900s1,143#159 (1908)#172
1910s4,795#139 (1910)#180
1920s7,794#166 (1920)#182
1930s7,411#174 (1934)#183
1940s9,489#176 (1940)#183
1950s12,389#182 (1950)#204
1960s10,191#223 (1965)#234
1970s19,185#94 (1978)#147
1980s38,652#74 (1982)#80
1990s52,577#60 (1998)#73
2000s64,264#61 (2000)#69
2010s41,890#81 (2010)#98
2020s16,088#125 (2020)#137

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.

Nathaniel in 1986

girls
#2,620
37 births · 1 in 46,366 girls
boys
#78
4,032 births · 1 in 457 boys

Top girls' names in 1986

  1. #1Jessica52,682
  2. #2Ashley49,671
  3. #3Amanda40,532
  4. #4Jennifer36,187
  5. #5Sarah28,163
  6. #6Stephanie22,651
  7. #7Nicole21,292
  8. #8Brittany20,313
  9. #9Heather19,790
  10. #10Elizabeth19,074
  11. #2,620Nathaniel37

Top boys' names in 1986

  1. #1Michael64,235
  2. #2Christopher56,693
  3. #3Matthew46,929
  4. #4Joshua37,542
  5. #5David37,150
  6. #6Daniel36,573
  7. #7James34,057
  8. #8Andrew33,858
  9. #9Robert31,350
  10. #10John30,209
  11. #78Nathaniel4,032
More about 1986

girls

1,715,547 girls got a published name in 1986; 1 in 46,366 of them was named Nathaniel, which outranked 79.6% of the 12,836 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 18.1% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Nathaniel
  1. #2,564Tyanna38
  2. #2,564Veronique38
  3. #2,564Yaritza38
  4. #2,620Nathaniel37
  5. #2,620Abbi37
  6. #2,620Adriene37
  7. #2,620Ambra37
  8. #2,682Alonna36
  9. #2,682Aubry36
  10. #2,682Brittan36

Tied with 61 names at #2,620; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1985
Risers
  1. ↑ 9,719Kyrie#10,677 → #958
  2. ↑ 4,778Sable#5,678 → #900
  3. ↑ 2,034Eliana#2,484 → #450
  4. ↑ 1,497Shatara#2,484 → #987
  5. ↑ 1,374Cherrelle#2,253 → #879
Fallers
  1. ↓ 442Violeta#963 → #1,405
  2. ↓ 361Micaela#545 → #906
  3. ↓ 361Tasia#572 → #933
  4. ↓ 324Jo#925 → #1,249
  5. ↓ 306Tammie#987 → #1,293

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

boys

1,841,515 boys got a published name in 1986; 1 in 457 of them was named Nathaniel, which outranked 99.0% of the 7,830 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 22.2% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Nathaniel
  1. #75Ronald4,224
  2. #76Carlos4,090
  3. #77Raymond4,055
  4. #78Nathaniel4,032
  5. #79Luis4,028
  6. #80Craig3,926
  7. #81Evan3,887
Biggest movers since 1985
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,279Spenser#2,226 → #947
  2. ↑ 920Jayce#1,614 → #694
  3. ↑ 714Addison#1,228 → #514
  4. ↑ 649Payton#1,614 → #965
  5. ↑ 573Cordell#1,181 → #608
Fallers
  1. ↓ 409Ulises#877 → #1,286
  2. ↓ 365Eliot#934 → #1,299
  3. ↓ 322Jordy#998 → #1,320
  4. ↓ 313Trace#956 → #1,269
  5. ↓ 292Kennith#963 → #1,255

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

See the top 100 for 1986 →