Nathaniel

updated Sept 2015

Nathaniel ~ Gift of God ~ Hebrew

Nathaniel has been sitting in the shadow of its more-popular antecedent, Nathan, since the dawn of name statistics, and probably the dawn of time. I think that's a shame. Nathaniel has a little more personality to me than Nathan, and it still comes with the especially cute variation Nate. The only Nate I've met was the little brother of a friend of mine with bright blond curls and a penchant for mischief. So while it's not my only association, I still think of an adorable, active boy when I see the name.

History
Nathaniel, on the other hand, is not a name of anyone I know. But like most Americans, I am fond of it. Nathaniel was first used in America by the Puritans because of its Biblical history, but for unknown reasons the original spelling, Nathanael, was changed. Regardless, the name was chosen because Nathanael was one of the disciples of Jesus.

Popularity
Today, parents are picking this name because of its appealing sound, many variations, and Hebrew origins. For 2014, Nathaniel was ranked at 94. Despite its high ranking and upswing in popularity, Nathaniel will probably never surpass its big brother, Nathan. We younger siblings shake our heads with sympathy.

Variations

• Nat
• Nate
• Nathan
• Nathanael
• Natty
• Thaniel

Famous Nathaniels and Celebrity Namesakes

• Nathaniel Hawthorne, author of The Scarlet Letter
• Nat King Cole's full name was Nathaniel
• Celebrities who chose Nathaniel for their son include:
• Camille Prats
• Heather Payne
• Fiona Phillips
• Ann Brashares