Glen vs Nathan

Glen 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 South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1986, Glen was ranked #91 and Nathan #13 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2008, Glen was ranked #378 and Nathan #26 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1985, Glen was ranked #86 and Nathan #30 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Glen was ranked #307 and Nathan #62 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Glen was ranked #676 and Nathan #71 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Glen was ranked #3688 and Nathan #88 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 1997, Glen was ranked #506 and Nathan #528 among boys in Norway.

Glen and Nathan over time

Glen and Nathan appear together in 5 published lists, across 124 years of shared records. Nathan held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Glen in 0.

The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Glen reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Nathan in none. 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 took the other's place near the top
In New Zealand · Boys, Nathan moved into the top 50 at #38 in 1973 as Glen fell out of it to #51, having been #34 the year before.
One moved ahead of the other
In 1972, Nathan moved ahead of Glen in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #40 and #61 the year before became #45 and #44.
Longest-running competitions
Glen and Nathan were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 50 years, from 1973 to 2025, ending at #676 and #71.

List by list

Republic of Ireland · Boys50 shared years, 1973–2025
Glen held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Nathan in 33.
Highest recorded here: Glen #83 in 1993, Nathan #26 in 1999.
The order changed in 1990: Nathan moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #129 and #149; by 1990 that had become #117 and #116.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Glen #676, Nathan #71.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Glen held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Nathan in 29.
Highest recorded here: Glen #281 in 1996, Nathan #24 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Glen #3688, Nathan #88.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys17 shared years, 1969–1986
Glen held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Nathan in 14.
Highest recorded here: Glen #40 in 1971, Nathan #10 in 1981.
The order changed in 1972: Nathan moved ahead. In 1971 they stood at #40 and #61; by 1972 that had become #45 and #44.
Most recent shared year, 1986: Glen #91, Nathan #13.
New Zealand · Boys16 shared years, 1969–1985
Glen held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Nathan in 13.
Highest recorded here: Glen #29 in 1975, Nathan #18 in 1979.
The order changed in 1973: Nathan moved ahead. In 1972 they stood at #34 and #45; by 1973 that had become #51 and #38.
Most recent shared year, 1985: Glen #86, Nathan #30.
Northern Ireland · Boys12 shared years, 1997–2008
Glen held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Nathan in 12.
Highest recorded here: Glen #129 in 1997, Nathan #15 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2008: Glen #378, Nathan #26.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Nathan

Pairs where Nathan shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Ben vs Nathan
In 1996 they stood at #34 and #27 in England and Wales · Boys, 7 places apart; by 2024 they were #509 and #88.
Ben · Nathan · 29 shared years, 1996–2024 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2024 England and Wales ranking
Nathan vs Ross
In 1997 they stood at #20 and #30 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 10 places apart; by 2023 they were #98 and #395.
Nathan · Ross · 27 shared years, 1997–2023 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2023 Northern Ireland ranking
George vs Nathan
Over 54 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Nathan rose about as far as George fell — from #61 and #267 in 1968 to #112 and #71 in 2025.
George · Nathan · 54 shared years, 1968–2025 · Mirrored each other
See the 2025 Republic of Ireland ranking
Nathan vs Marcus
Over 54 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Nathan rose about as far as Marcus fell — from #267 and #137 in 1968 to #71 and #232 in 2025.
Nathan · Marcus · 54 shared years, 1968–2025 · Mirrored each other
See the 2025 Republic of Ireland ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Glen, Nathan
Field	Glen	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	1	2
Common variants / nicknames	Not yet recorded	Not yet recorded
Recorded regional usage	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observation	Republic of Ireland · Boys #676 (2025)	Republic of Ireland · Boys #71 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	95/100	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); Glen does not have one recorded yet.
Glen has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Nathan.
A meaning is recorded for Nathan; Glen doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Glen

Popularity journey

First recorded1952
First recorded at #92 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1963–1985
Highest recorded position: #29 among boys in New Zealand, in 1975 (recorded 1963–1985).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · 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