Nathaniel

maleStatistical record

What official birth registration shows about Nathaniel: which national registrars published it, in which years, and how its recorded position changed.

No researched meaning, origin or pronunciation yet — what that means.

Nathaniel: Recorded since 1978, it reached #79 in 2012, and it stood at #170 in 2025.

7registrars recorded it
138times a registrar ranked it
48years from first to last
#79highest recorded position
24groupings it qualifies for

Region

Falling

among boys in England and Wales · 1996–2024

View as table

England and Wales · Boys rank by year
Year	Rank
1996	#125
1997	#123
1998	#124
1999	#114
2000	#126
2001	#123
2002	#120
2003	#116
2004	#115
2005	#120
2006	#136
2007	#129
2008	#120
2009	#117
2010	#128
2011	#119
2012	#118
2013	#127
2014	#129
2015	#124
2016	#129
2017	#145
2018	#131
2019	#137
2020	#148
2021	#157
2022	#149
2023	#174
2024	#144

VerifiedSource: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales.Confidence: high.

See all England and Wales names · Source: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales

What the data shows

FallingEngland and Wales · Boys

Recorded in official data among boys in Republic of Ireland in 33 of the 48 years from 1978 to 2025.

In 2025: #170 among boys in Norway, #223 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Official data from 7 national registrars across 7 regions, 1978–2025 · Office for National Statistics. Data sources

Popularity journey

First recorded1978
First recorded at #326 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1978 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded2003–2014
Highest recorded position: #79 among boys in New Zealand, in 2012 (recorded 2003–2014).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #170 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys

Nathaniel appears in 6 of the published lists Namewise holds. The longest record is Norway · Boys, with 34 ranked years and 1,029 births registered; the earliest is Republic of Ireland · Boys, from 1978.

Nathaniel across 6 official records

Each registrar publishes its own list, so these figures are read down a row, never across one. A position in one country is not comparable with a position in another, and Namewise never combines them into a single ranking. The birth counts do not compare across rows either, for a different reason: England and Wales registers roughly thirty times as many births a year as Northern Ireland, so a larger total says which registrar recorded it as much as how widely the name was given.

Nathaniel's first, highest and most recent recorded position in each official list, with the number of births each registrar registered with the name and its largest single year
Published list	First recorded	Highest	Most recent	Years recorded	Births registered	Most in one year
Republic of Ireland · Boys	#326 (1978)	#219 (2020)	#223 (2025)	33 of 48	399 (1978–2025)	22 (2010)
Norway · Boys	#505 (1989)	#109 (2012)	#170 (2025)	34 of 37	1,029 (1989–2025)	71 (2012)
England and Wales · Boys	#125 (1996)	#114 (1999)	#144 (2024)	29 of 29	12,151 (1996–2024)	536 (2012)
Northern Ireland · Boys	#248 (1997)	#188 (2006)	#278 (2024)	28 of 28	191 (1997–2024)	11 (2019)
New Zealand · Boys	#99 (2003)	#79 (2012)	#91 (2014)	6 of 12	329 (2003–2014)	60 (2012)
New South Wales, Australia · Boys	#80 (2013)	#80 (2013)	#96 (2019)	7 of 7	729 (2013–2019)	129 (2013)

Nathaniel by decade in Norway · Boys

Births registered with the name in each decade of this one list, with the number of years the list covers in that decade. Bars are scaled on births a year, which is the figure that compares between decades — a decade the list only partly covers has a smaller total without being a quieter decade. Figures belong to this registrar alone and do not carry to another.

Births registered with Nathaniel in Norway · Boys, by decade, with years covered and the average per year
Decade	Births registered	Years covered	A year
1980s	7	1 of 10	7
1990s	50	7 of 10	7
2000s	302	10 of 10	30
2010sbusiest	527	10 of 10	53
2020s	143	6 of 10	24

Across Norway · Boys, the 2010s were its busiest decade, averaging 53 births a year.

See the names Norwayhas recorded the most births with →

Nathaniel appears in

Groupings this name qualifies for under their own stated rules, from the same official statistics shown above.

Popularity data

Official popularity data is available for 7 regions, from 1978 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #79 in New Zealand in 2012.

Nathaniel's recorded popularity observations by year, region and administrative category, including rank, registered births, source confidence and when each region's data was last reviewed.
Year	Region	Category	Rank	Births registered	Confidence	Status
2024	England and Wales	male	#144	370	High	Verified
2023	England and Wales	male	#174	294	High	Verified
2022	England and Wales	male	#149	361	High	Verified
2021	England and Wales	male	#157	346	High	Verified
2020	England and Wales	male	#148	373	High	Verified
2019	England and Wales	male	#137	411	High	Verified
2018	England and Wales	male	#131	440	High	Verified
2017	England and Wales	male	#145	400	High	Verified
2016	England and Wales	male	#129	476	High	Verified
2015	England and Wales	male	#124	517	High	Verified
2014	England and Wales	male	#129	482	High	Verified
2013	England and Wales	male	#127	469	High	Verified
2012	England and Wales	male	#118	536	High	Verified
2011	England and Wales	male	#119	535	High	Verified
2010	England and Wales	male	#128	496	High	Verified
2009	England and Wales	male	#117	498	High	Verified
2008	England and Wales	male	#120	468	High	Verified
2007	England and Wales	male	#129	419	High	Verified
2006	England and Wales	male	#136	394	High	Verified
2005	England and Wales	male	#120	453	High	Verified
2004	England and Wales	male	#115	483	High	Verified
2003	England and Wales	male	#116	441	High	Verified
2002	England and Wales	male	#120	394	High	Verified
2001	England and Wales	male	#123	348	High	Verified
2000	England and Wales	male	#126	332	High	Verified
1999	England and Wales	male	#114	409	High	Verified
1998	England and Wales	male	#124	330	High	Verified
1997	England and Wales	male	#123	337	High	Verified
1996	England and Wales	male	#125	339	High	Verified
2019	New South Wales, Australia	male	#96	96	Insufficient	Not yet available
2018	New South Wales, Australia	male	#96	92	Insufficient	Not yet available
2017	New South Wales, Australia	male	#92	98	Insufficient	Not yet available
2016	New South Wales, Australia	male	#90	105	Insufficient	Not yet available
2015	New South Wales, Australia	male	#89	108	Insufficient	Not yet available
2014	New South Wales, Australia	male	#98	101	Insufficient	Not yet available
2013	New South Wales, Australia	male	#80	129	Insufficient	Not yet available
2014	New Zealand	male	#91	50	High	Verified
2012	New Zealand	male	#79	60	High	Verified
2011	New Zealand	male	#81	58	High	Verified
2005	New Zealand	male	#91	55	High	Verified
2004	New Zealand	male	#98	53	High	Verified
2003	New Zealand	male	#99	53	High	Verified
2024	Northern Ireland	male	#278	6	High	Verified
2023	Northern Ireland	male	#312	5	High	Verified
2022	Northern Ireland	male	#234	8	High	Verified
2021	Northern Ireland	male	#326	5	High	Verified
2020	Northern Ireland	male	#392	3	High	Verified
2019	Northern Ireland	male	#197	11	High	Verified
2018	Northern Ireland	male	#283	6	High	Verified
2017	Northern Ireland	male	#202	10	High	Verified
2016	Northern Ireland	male	#216	9	High	Verified
2015	Northern Ireland	male	#222	9	High	Verified
2014	Northern Ireland	male	#213	10	High	Verified
2013	Northern Ireland	male	#208	10	High	Verified
2012	Northern Ireland	male	#231	8	High	Verified
2011	Northern Ireland	male	#204	10	High	Verified
2010	Northern Ireland	male	#339	4	High	Verified
2009	Northern Ireland	male	#211	10	High	Verified
2008	Northern Ireland	male	#249	7	High	Verified
2007	Northern Ireland	male	#357	3	High	Verified
2006	Northern Ireland	male	#188	10	High	Verified
2005	Northern Ireland	male	#192	9	High	Verified
2004	Northern Ireland	male	#192	8	High	Verified
2003	Northern Ireland	male	#229	5	High	Verified
2002	Northern Ireland	male	#243	4	High	Verified
2001	Northern Ireland	male	#243	4	High	Verified
2000	Northern Ireland	male	#244	4	High	Verified
1999	Northern Ireland	male	#241	4	High	Verified
1998	Northern Ireland	male	#221	5	High	Verified
1997	Northern Ireland	male	#248	4	High	Verified
2025	Norway	male	#170	29	High	Verified
2024	Norway	male	#234	19	High	Verified
2023	Norway	male	#187	27	High	Verified
2022	Norway	male	#185	26	High	Verified
2021	Norway	male	#201	22	High	Verified
2020	Norway	male	#209	20	High	Verified
2019	Norway	male	#152	39	High	Verified
2018	Norway	male	#129	49	High	Verified
2017	Norway	male	#155	40	High	Verified
2016	Norway	male	#146	43	High	Verified
2015	Norway	male	#128	53	High	Verified
2014	Norway	male	#124	57	High	Verified
2013	Norway	male	#119	60	High	Verified
2012	Norway	male	#109	71	High	Verified
2011	Norway	male	#129	61	High	Verified
2010	Norway	male	#134	54	High	Verified
2009	Norway	male	#120	65	High	Verified
2008	Norway	male	#148	45	High	Verified
2007	Norway	male	#142	48	High	Verified
2006	Norway	male	#215	24	High	Verified
2005	Norway	male	#215	23	High	Verified
2004	Norway	male	#199	26	High	Verified
2003	Norway	male	#218	24	High	Verified
2002	Norway	male	#270	15	High	Verified
2001	Norway	male	#243	20	High	Verified
2000	Norway	male	#333	12	High	Verified
1999	Norway	male	#282	15	High	Verified
1998	Norway	male	#315	13	High	Verified
1997	Norway	male	#529	5	High	Verified
1995	Norway	male	#546	5	High	Verified
1994	Norway	male	#599	4	High	Verified
1993	Norway	male	#621	4	High	Verified
1991	Norway	male	#629	4	High	Verified
1989	Norway	male	#505	7	High	Verified
2025	Republic of Ireland	male	#223	21	High	Verified
2024	Republic of Ireland	male	#220	21	High	Verified
2023	Republic of Ireland	male	#235	19	High	Verified
2022	Republic of Ireland	male	#231	21	High	Verified
2021	Republic of Ireland	male	#239	20	High	Verified
2020	Republic of Ireland	male	#219	22	High	Verified
2019	Republic of Ireland	male	#268	17	High	Verified
2018	Republic of Ireland	male	#269	17	High	Verified
2017	Republic of Ireland	male	#317	13	High	Verified
2016	Republic of Ireland	male	#298	15	High	Verified
2015	Republic of Ireland	male	#280	16	High	Verified
2014	Republic of Ireland	male	#325	13	High	Verified
2013	Republic of Ireland	male	#296	15	High	Verified
2012	Republic of Ireland	male	#310	14	High	Verified
2011	Republic of Ireland	male	#245	21	High	Verified
2010	Republic of Ireland	male	#241	22	High	Verified
2009	Republic of Ireland	male	#322	12	High	Verified
2008	Republic of Ireland	male	#328	12	High	Verified
2007	Republic of Ireland	male	#342	9	High	Verified
2006	Republic of Ireland	male	#282	11	High	Verified
2005	Republic of Ireland	male	#403	5	High	Verified
2004	Republic of Ireland	male	#233	12	High	Verified
2003	Republic of Ireland	male	#275	9	High	Verified
2002	Republic of Ireland	male	#348	5	High	Verified
2001	Republic of Ireland	male	#347	4	High	Verified
1999	Republic of Ireland	male	#379	3	High	Verified
1998	Republic of Ireland	male	#280	5	High	Verified
1996	Republic of Ireland	male	#369	3	High	Verified
1995	Republic of Ireland	male	#241	7	High	Verified
1994	Republic of Ireland	male	#247	6	High	Verified
1986	Republic of Ireland	male	#317	3	High	Verified
1982	Republic of Ireland	male	#330	3	High	Verified
1978	Republic of Ireland	male	#326	3	High	Verified
2024	Scotland	male	#191	22	High	Verified

England and Wales hub — collected by Office for National Statistics
New South Wales, Australia hub — collected by NSW Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages
New Zealand hub — collected by NZ Department of Internal Affairs
Northern Ireland hub — collected by NISRA
Norway hub — collected by Statistics Norway (SSB)
Republic of Ireland hub — collected by CSO Ireland
Scotland hub — collected by National Records of Scotland

See methodology and data sources for how popularity data is collected and what "confidence" means.

What the record shows

Recorded by 7 registrars between 1978 and 2025, ranked in 38 years of that period.

Its highest recorded position is #79, first reached in 2012.

It held a top-100 place in 12 years, 9 of them consecutive.

Its largest count from any one registrar is 536 births, registered in England and Wales in 2012.

Its record falls into 6 separate stretches, with a longest absence of 3 years.

A second registrar first ranked it in 1989, and 46 years separate the first registrar to record it from the last.

Every figure here is counted from the seven official registrars Namewise holds. A position is only ever a place within the list that published it, and a record that thins or stops is a fact about what registrars printed — never about how many children received the name.

Where to go next

Records with a comparable body of evidence, so the catalogue can be read outward from this one. Each group states the rule it was selected by.

Next in the catalogue

The records either side of this one alphabetically.

Nathania · #518, 30y
Nathanial · #657, 29y
Nathen · #369, 21y
Natnael · #407, 19y

A comparable record

Records held by the same 7 registrars, over a similar number of ranked years, whose highest position is closest to this one. A similar body of evidence — never a claim that the names themselves are alike.

Ariana · #50, 34y
Ayla · #39, 35y
Savannah · #37, 34y
Luna · #30, 34y

Also first recorded in the 1970s

Records whose earliest ranking in Namewise's registrar data also falls between 1970 and 1979.

Sharlene · #79, 23y
Caragh · #80, 47y
Mateusz · #80, 48y
Brad · #77, 36y

Nathaniel was ranked #79 in New Zealand · Boys in 2012. These are the names immediately either side of it on that published list — a fact about the registrar's own output, not a similarity judgement.

Nathaniel and the names beside it

Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale, in the same year, by the same registrar — so these are positions that genuinely passed each other, not a similarity judgement. Drawn from the 2,573 names with a recorded popularity standing (common, familiar, uncommon), so a name outside that set could have passed Nathaniel without appearing here.

Nathaniel moved ahead of

Alfred Compare
In 2005 they stood at #403 and #343 in Republic of Ireland · Boys; by 2006 that had become #282 and #596.
Ciaran Compare
In 2017 they stood at #317 and #78 in Republic of Ireland · Boys; by 2018 that had become #269 and #520.
Stein Compare
In 2000 they stood at #333 and #264 in Norway · Boys; by 2001 that had become #243 and #476.
Jakob Compare
In 2002 they stood at #347 and #317 in Republic of Ireland · Boys; by 2003 that had become #275 and #500.

Moved ahead of Nathaniel

Sebastian Compare
In 2006 they stood at #188 and #282 in Northern Ireland · Boys; by 2007 that had become #357 and #166.
Tadhg Compare
In 2017 they stood at #202 and #229 in Northern Ireland · Boys; by 2018 that had become #283 and #121.
Muhammad Compare
In 2019 they stood at #197 and #274 in Northern Ireland · Boys; by 2020 that had become #392 and #304.
Tommy Compare
In 2010 they stood at #128 and #156 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2011 that had become #119 and #65.

Moved the opposite way to Nathaniel

Alexander Compare
Between 1989 and 2025 in Norway · Boys, Nathaniel went from #505 to #170 while Alexander went from #12 to #81.
Anders Compare
Between 1989 and 2025 in Norway · Boys, Nathaniel went from #505 to #170 while Anders went from #8 to #293.
Andreas Compare
Between 1989 and 2025 in Norway · Boys, Nathaniel went from #505 to #170 while Andreas went from #2 to #96.
Arild Compare
Between 1989 and 2025 in Norway · Boys, Nathaniel went from #505 to #170 while Arild went from #172 to #489.

Moved the same way as Nathaniel

Adam Compare
Between 1989 and 2025 in Norway · Boys, Nathaniel went from #505 to #170 and Adam from #110 to #29.
Aksel Compare
Between 1989 and 2025 in Norway · Boys, Nathaniel went from #505 to #170 and Aksel from #251 to #25.
Alfred Compare
Between 1989 and 2025 in Norway · Boys, Nathaniel went from #505 to #170 and Alfred from #568 to #26.
Arthur Compare
Between 1989 and 2025 in Norway · Boys, Nathaniel went from #505 to #170 and Arthur from #369 to #83.

What's not yet available

Meaning
Origin
Pronunciation
Nicknames and spelling variants

Absence from this list does not mean the name isn't genuinely meaningful or widely used — only that Namewise hasn't sourced and reviewed that content yet. Absence from a specific year or geography above does not prove zero use there either; official statistics only publish names above a minimum threshold.

Official popularity data is available for 7 regions, from 1978 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #79 in New Zealand in 2012. Source data last verified 2026-07-21.

Nathaniel

Nathaniel at a glance

What the data shows

Popularity journey

Nathaniel across 6 official records

Nathaniel by decade in Norway · Boys

Nathaniel appears in

Popularity data

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1970s

Names published alongside Nathaniel

Nathaniel and the names beside it

Nathaniel moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Nathaniel

Moved the opposite way to Nathaniel

Moved the same way as Nathaniel

Nathaniel at a glance

Nathaniel across 6 official records

Nathaniel by decade in Norway · Boys

Nathaniel appears in

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1970s

Names published alongside Nathaniel

Nathaniel and the names beside it

Nathaniel moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Nathaniel

Moved the opposite way to Nathaniel

Moved the same way as Nathaniel