Nate vs Nathan
Nate 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 2012, Nate was ranked #100 and Nathan #41 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Nate was ranked #330 and Nathan #62 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Nate was ranked #829 and Nathan #71 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2018, Nate was ranked #89 and Nathan #84 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Nate was ranked #338 and Nathan #88 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Nate was ranked #404 and Nathan #118 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Nate and Nathan over time
Nate and Nathan appear together in 3 published lists, across 45 years of shared records. Nathan held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Nate in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Nathan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Nate 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.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Nate #46 in 2010, Nathan #39 in 2008.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys24 shared years, 2001–2024
Nate held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Nathan in 24.
Highest recorded here: Nate #314 in 2020, Nathan #24 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Nate #338, Nathan #88.
Republic of Ireland · Boys11 shared years, 2010–2025
Nate held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Nathan in 11.
Highest recorded here: Nate #414 in 2021, Nathan #29 in 2014.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Nate #829, Nathan #71.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys10 shared years, 2008–2018
Nate held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Nathan in 7.
Highest recorded here: Nate #46 in 2010, Nathan #39 in 2008.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Nate #89, 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 | Nate | 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 | 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 | Republic of Ireland · Boys #829 (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); Nate does not have one recorded yet.
- Nate and Nathan both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Nathan; Nate doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Nate
Popularity journey
First recorded2001
First recorded at #2587 among boys in England and Wales in 2001 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded2008–2018
Highest recorded position: #46 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2010 (recorded 2008–2018).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #829 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