Total births
670
Boys' name · since 1977
Nataniel
Since 1977, U.S. Social Security records show 670 babies named Nataniel, peaking in 2008. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #5745
- among boys today
- 670
- born since 1977
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 60%
- more common than other boys
Nataniel currently ranks #5745 among boys' names in America, with 670 babies recorded since 1977.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Nataniel has been recorded 670 times among boys since 1977, currently ranked #5745 nationally and more common than 60% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2000s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1977 to 2025.
- #5745 among boys today
- 670 born since 1977
- 2000s peak decade
- 60% more common than other boys
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Nataniel is currently the #5745 boys' name in America, more common than 60% of boys - 670 born since 1977, peaking in the 2000s.
- #5745
- among boys today
- 670
- born since 1977
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 60%
- more common than other boys
Nataniel vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#5745
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 60% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
30% of everyone ever named Nataniel was born in this single decade.
2008
Single peak year
30 babies were named Nataniel in 2008 - its busiest year on record.
How Nataniel compares
670 Top 38% higher than 62% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Nataniel's all-time total is 83% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Nataniel | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 670 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 30 | 23 | 22,252 |
Nataniel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Nataniel's full recorded timeline at 2004, 61% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 39% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1980, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2008 peak of 30 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Nataniel at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2008
Current rank
#5,745
Active since
1977
Nataniel popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1977–2025
- Peak year (2008)
- 30
- Annual births at peak, across 49 years of records
Nataniel by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Nataniel's strongest decade.
203 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 30% of all-time use.
Nataniel births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 10
1970s
10 births
- 1980s 56
1980s
56 births
- 1990s
1990s
115 births
- 2000s
2000s
203 births
- 2010s
2010s
187 births
- 2020s
2020s
99 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 203 births (30% of all-time use).
How Nataniel compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Nataniel's total volume
Nataniel vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Nataniel by state
Where Nataniel concentrates geographically, total births since 1977
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 38 | 5.7% |
| #2 | California | | 27 | 4.0% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 16 | 2.4% |
| #4 | Texas | | 7 | 1.0% |
| #5 | Florida | | 5 | 0.7% |
New York share of Nataniel's total US births 5.7%
Even split
38 of 670 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 5 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Nataniel? ▼
670 babies have been named Nataniel since 1977. It currently ranks #5745 among boys. The peak year was 2008 with 30 births.
When was Nataniel most popular? ▼
Nataniel was most popular in the 2000s decade with 203 total births. The single peak year was 2008.
Where is Nataniel most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Nataniel are New York (38 births), California (27 births), Illinois (16 births).
How long has the name Nataniel been used? ▼
Records for Nataniel go back to 1977, giving 49 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Nataniel? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Nathan, Nathaniel, Nathanael, Nathanial, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Nataniel's data
- Nataniel's usage has stayed within range of its 2000s decade-level peak (203 total births) through the 2020s (99) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- New York records the most Nataniels (38 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Nataniel
Nearby Names Like Nataniel
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Nataniel
Nathan Boy
#62 587,497 births
Nathaniel Boy
#144 287,103 births
Nathanael Boy
#674 22,227 births
Nathanial Boy
#3694 10,578 births
Nathen Boy
#5255 6,146 births
Compare Nataniel side by side: Nataniel vs Nathan Nataniel vs Nathaniel Nataniel vs Nathanael
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Nataniel
Data Sources
Data as of July 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1977–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Nataniel: #5745 Boys' Name - 670 Births, Peak 2008." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/nataniel. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Nataniel draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of July 2026.