Mahdi vs Nathan

Mahdi 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.

Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Mahdi was ranked #770 and Nathan #61 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Mahdi was ranked #678 and Nathan #88 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, Mahdi was ranked #519 and Nathan #303 among boys in Norway.

Mahdi and Nathan over time

Mahdi and Nathan appear together in 2 published lists, across 41 years of shared records. Nathan held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Mahdi 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.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.

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.

Repeatedly exchanged positions
Mahdi and Nathan changed places 5 times in Norway · Boys between 1982 and 2023, ending at #519 and #303.

List by list

England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Mahdi held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Nathan in 29.
Highest recorded here: Mahdi #526 in 2007, Nathan #24 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Mahdi #678, Nathan #88.
Norway · Boys12 shared years, 1982–2023
Mahdi held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Nathan in 6.
Highest recorded here: Mahdi #324 in 2001, Nathan #263 in 2013.
The order changed in 2013: Nathan moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #347 and #349; by 2013 that had become #544 and #263.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Mahdi #519, Nathan #303.

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 Mahdi, Nathan
Field	Mahdi	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, IE, NO	AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observation	England and Wales · Boys #678 (2024)	Republic of Ireland · Boys #71 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	Not yet recorded	90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	94/100	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); Mahdi does not have one recorded yet.
Mahdi and Nathan both have 2 syllables.
A meaning is recorded for Nathan; Mahdi doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE, NO.

How each name got here

Mahdi

Popularity journey

First recorded1968
First recorded at #465 among boys in Norway in 1968 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1968–2023
Highest recorded position: #324 among boys in Norway, in 2001 (recorded 1968–2023).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #678 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