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BabyNames
Boy name#137 of boy names

Nathaniel

Pronounced N AH0 TH AE1 N Y AH0 L (ARPABET)

  • 3 syllables
  • Peaked 2002
  • 145 years in use
  • Biblical
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How popular is Nathaniel?

Nathaniel is a boys' name, and has been in the record since the data starts in 1880. It has been given to 286,228 children — the 137th most common boys' name on record.

It has been slipping, down 42% on the previous decade. Its best single year was 2002, when 6,845 children were given it.

02,5005,0007,50010,00018901920195019802010
2002Boys: 6,845Girls: 16

Characteristics

  • Biblical (Person)
  • Alliterative
  • 3 syllables
Phonetic detail
Pronunciations:
N AH0 TH AE1 N Y AH0 L
Stress pattern:
010
Syllables:
3

Stress digits mark unstressed (0), primary (1) and secondary (2) syllables.

Names like Nathaniel

Same first letter and syllable count, peaking around the same time.

Sibling names for Nathaniel

Names from the same era with a matching rhythm but a different initial.

Frequently asked questions

How popular is the name Nathaniel?
Nathaniel ranks 137th among boys' names in US records, with 286,228 births since 1880. Over the past decade it accounts for 31,739.
Is Nathaniel a unisex name?
No. Nathaniel is recorded almost entirely as a boys' name; births to the other gender are too few to register as a share.
When was Nathaniel most popular?
2002, when 6,845 children were given the name. It has been in use for 145 years and is still recorded as of 2024.