Gareth vs Nathan
Gareth and Nathancompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1989, Gareth was ranked #93 and Nathan #29 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2021, Gareth was ranked #552 and Nathan #62 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Gareth was ranked #2088 and Nathan #88 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2021, Gareth was ranked #433 and Nathan #120 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Gareth and Nathan over time
Gareth and Nathan appear together in 4 published lists, across 115 years of shared records. Nathan held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Gareth in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Gareth reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Nathan in 1. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1992, Nathan moved ahead of Gareth in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #91 and #97 the year before became #97 and #84.
- Longest-running competitions
Gareth and Nathan were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 47 years, from 1968 to 2021, ending at #552 and #62.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys47 shared years, 1968–2021
Gareth held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Nathan in 27.
Highest recorded here: Gareth #42 in 1980, Nathan #26 in 1999.
The order changed in 1992: Nathan moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #91 and #97; by 1992 that had become #97 and #84.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Gareth #552, Nathan #62.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Gareth held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Nathan in 29.
Highest recorded here: Gareth #117 in 1996, Nathan #24 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Gareth #2088, Nathan #88.
Northern Ireland · Boys20 shared years, 1997–2021
Gareth held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Nathan in 20.
Highest recorded here: Gareth #47 in 1997, Nathan #15 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Gareth #433, Nathan #120.
New Zealand · Boys19 shared years, 1971–1989
Gareth held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Nathan in 19.
Highest recorded here: Gareth #30 in 1982, Nathan #18 in 1979.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1989: Gareth #93, Nathan #29.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Gareth | Nathan |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Commonly interpreted as 'he gave' or 'he has given'. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈneɪθən/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Boys #2088 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #71 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Nathan has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Gareth does not have one recorded yet.
- Gareth and Nathan both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Nathan; Gareth doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Gareth
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #214 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1971–1989
Highest recorded position: #30 among boys in New Zealand, in 1982 (recorded 1971–1989).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2088 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys
Nathan
Popularity journey
First recorded1968
First recorded at #267 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1968 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1969–2018
Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1981 (recorded 1969–2018).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #344 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys