Nathan vs Timothy
Nathan and Timothycompared 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 2005, Nathan was ranked #25 and Timothy #100 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2005, Nathan was ranked #36 and Timothy #78 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Nathan was ranked #62 and Timothy #535 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Nathan was ranked #71 and Timothy #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Nathan was ranked #88 and Timothy #382 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Nathan was ranked #118 and Timothy #339 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2019, Nathan was ranked #264 and Timothy #518 among boys in Norway.
Nathan and Timothy over time
Nathan and Timothy appear together in 6 published lists, across 197 years of shared records. Nathan held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Timothy 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.
Timothy reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 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 1988, Nathan moved ahead of Timothy in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #14 and #12 the year before became #13 and #16.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Nathan and Timothy changed places 7 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1969 and 2005, ending at #25 and #100.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 37 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Nathan and Timothy averaged 17.7 places apart, ending at #36 and #78.
- Longest-running competitions
Nathan and Timothy were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 37 years, from 1969 to 2005, ending at #36 and #78.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Nathan #15 in 2000, Timothy #75 in 2000.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys54 shared years, 1968–2025
Nathan held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Timothy in 21.
Highest recorded here: Nathan #26 in 1999, Timothy #31 in 1968.
The order changed in 1993: Nathan moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #84 and #81; by 1993 that had become #67 and #77.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Nathan #71, Timothy #329.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys37 shared years, 1969–2005
Nathan held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Timothy in 9.
Highest recorded here: Nathan #10 in 1981, Timothy #11 in 1984.
The order changed in 1988: Nathan moved ahead. In 1987 they stood at #14 and #12; by 1988 that had become #13 and #16.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Nathan #36, Timothy #78.
New Zealand · Boys36 shared years, 1969–2005
Nathan held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Timothy in 20.
Highest recorded here: Nathan #14 in 1995, Timothy #10 in 1981.
The order changed in 1993: Nathan moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #23 and #21; by 1993 that had become #23 and #26.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Nathan #25, Timothy #100.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Nathan held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Timothy in 0.
Highest recorded here: Nathan #24 in 2002, Timothy #82 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Nathan #88, Timothy #382.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Nathan held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Timothy in 0.
Highest recorded here: Nathan #15 in 2000, Timothy #75 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Nathan #118, Timothy #339.
Norway · Boys13 shared years, 1990–2019
Nathan held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Timothy in 2.
Highest recorded here: Nathan #257 in 2012, Timothy #427 in 1990.
The order changed in 2005: Nathan moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #459 and #429; by 2005 that had become #397 and #561.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Nathan #264, Timothy #518.
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 | Nathan | Timothy |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'he gave' or 'he has given'. | From Greek Timotheos, literally 'honouring God', combining 'timao' (to honour) with 'theos' (god). Saint Timothy accompanied the Apostle Paul on missionary journeys. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈneɪθən/ | /ˈtɪm.ə.θi/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| 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 #71 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #329 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Nathan is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Timothy is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Nathan has 2 syllables, compared with 3 for Timothy.
- Nathan's recorded meaning differs from Timothy's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
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
Timothy
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #61 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 recorded1954–2005
Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in New Zealand, in 1981 (recorded 1954–2005).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys