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Nathan vs Timothy

Nathan and Timothy compared 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 2025, Nathan was ranked #99 and Timothy #418 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

Republic of Ireland · Boys
#30#100#30019682025Nathan #71Timothy #3291968: Nathan #267, Timothy #311973: Nathan #290, Timothy #521974: Nathan #251, Timothy #541975: Nathan #265, Timothy #531976: Nathan #258, Timothy #541977: Nathan #200, Timothy #531978: Nathan #212, Timothy #601979: Nathan #228, Timothy #611980: Nathan #205, Timothy #591981: Nathan #217, Timothy #531982: Nathan #171, Timothy #581983: Nathan #214, Timothy #601984: Nathan #224, Timothy #621985: Nathan #177, Timothy #591986: Nathan #172, Timothy #551987: Nathan #181, Timothy #581988: Nathan #145, Timothy #651989: Nathan #149, Timothy #671990: Nathan #116, Timothy #711991: Nathan #97, Timothy #781992: Nathan #84, Timothy #811993: Nathan #67, Timothy #771994: Nathan #64, Timothy #761995: Nathan #53, Timothy #811996: Nathan #51, Timothy #841997: Nathan #47, Timothy #881998: Nathan #36, Timothy #1011999: Nathan #26, Timothy #1182000: Nathan #32, Timothy #1162001: Nathan #32, Timothy #1302002: Nathan #27, Timothy #1292003: Nathan #28, Timothy #1132004: Nathan #29, Timothy #1132005: Nathan #28, Timothy #1262006: Nathan #32, Timothy #1472007: Nathan #37, Timothy #1782008: Nathan #34, Timothy #1692009: Nathan #32, Timothy #2142010: Nathan #30, Timothy #1832011: Nathan #29, Timothy #2042012: Nathan #26, Timothy #2152013: Nathan #31, Timothy #1472014: Nathan #29, Timothy #1752015: Nathan #32, Timothy #1802016: Nathan #39, Timothy #1842017: Nathan #34, Timothy #1972018: Nathan #49, Timothy #2052019: Nathan #61, Timothy #2372020: Nathan #57, Timothy #2612021: Nathan #62, Timothy #2962022: Nathan #59, Timothy #2622023: Nathan #61, Timothy #2542024: Nathan #70, Timothy #1872025: Nathan #71, Timothy #329

Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.

New South Wales, Australia · Boys
#10#3019692005Nathan #36Timothy #781969: Nathan #87, Timothy #251970: Nathan #88, Timothy #281971: Nathan #61, Timothy #261972: Nathan #44, Timothy #301973: Nathan #32, Timothy #291974: Nathan #26, Timothy #311975: Nathan #23, Timothy #291976: Nathan #17, Timothy #241977: Nathan #14, Timothy #231978: Nathan #13, Timothy #221979: Nathan #11, Timothy #151980: Nathan #12, Timothy #141981: Nathan #10, Timothy #141982: Nathan #11, Timothy #121983: Nathan #12, Timothy #141984: Nathan #13, Timothy #111985: Nathan #13, Timothy #121986: Nathan #13, Timothy #121987: Nathan #14, Timothy #121988: Nathan #13, Timothy #161989: Nathan #12, Timothy #151990: Nathan #14, Timothy #161991: Nathan #16, Timothy #191992: Nathan #13, Timothy #191993: Nathan #15, Timothy #251994: Nathan #15, Timothy #261995: Nathan #14, Timothy #321996: Nathan #17, Timothy #351997: Nathan #19, Timothy #421998: Nathan #22, Timothy #461999: Nathan #18, Timothy #442000: Nathan #18, Timothy #542001: Nathan #20, Timothy #602002: Nathan #22, Timothy #592003: Nathan #34, Timothy #862004: Nathan #27, Timothy #982005: Nathan #36, Timothy #78

Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.

Nathan and Timothy over time

Nathan and Timothy appear together in 6 published lists, across 198 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 England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #99 and #418.

  • 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 · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Nathan held the stronger position in 30 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, 2025: Nathan #99, Timothy #418.

  • 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.

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.

Other comparisons involving Timothy

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

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — close in one country, far apart in another.

All close in one country, far apart in another →

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars →

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Nathan, Timothy
FieldNathanTimothy
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningCommonly 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.
OriginBiblical HebrewGreek
Pronunciation/ˈneɪθən//ˈtɪm.ə.θi/
Syllables23
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageNew South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New ZealandNew South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New Zealand
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #71 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #329 (2025)
Data Confidencemediummedium

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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1969–2018

    Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1981 (recorded 1969–2018).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #99 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Timothy

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1954–2005

    Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in New Zealand, in 1981 (recorded 1954–2005).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #418 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys