Mason vs Nathan
Mason 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 2018, Mason was ranked #14 and Nathan #84 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Mason was ranked #25 and Nathan #62 among boys in Scotland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Mason was ranked #26 and Nathan #70 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Mason was ranked #61 and Nathan #118 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Mason was ranked #63 and Nathan #88 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Mason was ranked #75 and Nathan #71 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Mason and Nathan over time
Mason and Nathan appear together in 5 published lists, across 118 years of shared records. Mason held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Nathan in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Nathan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Mason 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 South Wales, Australia · Boys, Mason moved into the top 50 at #27 in 2011 as Nathan fell out of it to #59, having been #42 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2009, Mason moved ahead of Nathan in England and Wales · Boys — #53 and #50 the year before became #45 and #48.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Mason and Nathan averaged 46.3 places apart, ending at #63 and #88.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Mason held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Nathan in 13.
Highest recorded here: Mason #27 in 2013, Nathan #24 in 2002.
The order changed in 2009: Mason moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #53 and #50; by 2009 that had become #45 and #48.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Mason #63, Nathan #88.
Northern Ireland · Boys26 shared years, 1998–2024
Mason held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Nathan in 13.
Highest recorded here: Mason #15 in 2013, Nathan #15 in 2000.
The order changed in 2012: Mason moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #44 and #38; by 2012 that had become #20 and #33.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Mason #61, Nathan #118.
Republic of Ireland · Boys25 shared years, 1993–2025
Mason held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Nathan in 19.
Highest recorded here: Mason #32 in 2022, Nathan #26 in 2012.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Mason #75, Nathan #71.
New Zealand · Boys24 shared years, 2000–2023
Mason held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Nathan in 10.
Highest recorded here: Mason #4 in 2014, Nathan #22 in 2000.
The order changed in 2010: Mason moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #54 and #38; by 2010 that had become #32 and #38.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Mason #26, Nathan #70.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys14 shared years, 2003–2018
Mason held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Nathan in 7.
Highest recorded here: Mason #14 in 2018, Nathan #34 in 2003.
The order changed in 2011: Mason moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #52 and #42; by 2011 that had become #27 and #59.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Mason #14, Nathan #84.
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 | Mason | Nathan |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Originally an occupational surname/vocabulary word meaning 'stoneworker', later adopted as a given name. The deeper root of the word itself is disputed among etymologists — a Germanic (Frankish) origin versus an alternative Medieval Latin source. | Commonly interpreted as 'he gave' or 'he has given'. |
| Origin | English surname, from Old French masson/macon | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈmeɪsən/ | /ˈneɪθən/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #56 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #71 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 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
- Mason is recorded with a English surname, from Old French masson/macon origin, while Nathan is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Mason and Nathan both have 2 syllables.
- Mason's recorded meaning differs from Nathan's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Mason
Popularity journey
First recorded1993
First recorded at #339 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1993 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded2000–2023
Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in New Zealand, in 2014 (recorded 2000–2023).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #56 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · 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