Nathan
NAY-thən
A simple biblical name meaning “given” or “gift of God.”
Meaning
Nathan comes from Hebrew Nathan, meaning “given.” In biblical usage, it is associated with the prophet Nathan, and the related longer form Nathanael means “gift of God” or “given of God.”
Origin
HebrewEnglishmasculine
Fun fact
Nathan and Jonathan are closely related in sense in these older naming books: both are treated as names meaning “gift of God.”
Confidence: sourced. Sources: History of Christian Names, Praenomina; or, the etymology of the principal Christian names of Great Britain and Ireland.