UK boy's name
Nat
A masculine diminutive of the Hebrew name Nathan, meaning "he gave".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2017. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Nat is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Nat popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2017 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4812, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2002, with 3 births.
This profile covers 9 England and Wales registrations across 3 recorded years from 2002 to 2017. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 9 living people in the UK are called Nat. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2018 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Nat ranked #4812 for boys in England and Wales in 2017, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2002, when 3 boys were registered as Nat.
- • About 9 living people in the UK are estimated to have Nat as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4812
2017
Births in 2017
3
Latest year
Peak year
2002
3 births
Estimated living
9
2026
Meaning
What does Nat mean?
The name Nat is a diminutive form of the more formal name Nathaniel, which has its origins in the Hebrew language. Nathaniel translates to "Gift of God" or "Given by God" and is derived from the Hebrew words "Natan" meaning "to give" and "El" meaning "God". The name has been in use since ancient times and can be found in various religious texts, including the Bible.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Nathaniel can be found in the New Testament of the Bible, where it is mentioned as the name of one of Jesus' apostles, Nathanael. This apostle is often referred to as Nathanael of Cana and is believed to have lived in the 1st century AD.
Throughout history, the name Nat has been used as a shortened form of Nathaniel by numerous notable individuals. One of the earliest examples is Nat Turner, an American enslaved man who led a famous slave rebellion in Virginia in 1831. This event, known as the Nat Turner Rebellion, was a significant event in the history of the anti-slavery movement in the United States.
Another famous bearer of the name Nat was Nat King Cole, an American singer and jazz pianist who rose to prominence in the 1940s and 1950s. Born Nathaniel Adams Coles in 1919, he was widely known for his smooth baritone voice and his hits such as "Unforgettable" and "Mona Lisa". Nat King Cole passed away in 1965 at the age of 45.
In the realm of literature, Nat can be found in the works of acclaimed author Charles Dickens. One of his characters, Nathaniel Winkle, from the novel "The Pickwick Papers" published in 1837, was often referred to as Nat Winkle.
Moving to the world of sports, Nat Peeples was an American baseball player who played in the Negro Leagues from 1925 to 1945. He was born Nathaniel Peeples in 1897 and was known for his excellent defensive skills as a shortstop.
Lastly, Nat Hentoff, an American historian, novelist, jazz critic, and activist, was a prominent figure in the 20th century. Born Nathaniel Hentoff in 1925, he was a staunch advocate for civil liberties and free speech, and he wrote extensively on jazz music and political issues.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Nat over time
The chart below shows babies named Nat registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2002 to 2017. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Nat, the clearest high point is 2002. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2017, compared with 3 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nat by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Nat was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4812 | 3 | 1 |
| 2000s | #3829 | 6 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Nat
- Noah 72,596
- Nathan 46,860
- Nicholas 15,983
- Nathaniel 12,151
- Niall 5,746
- Nicolas 3,825
- Nico 3,532
- Nate 2,029
- Nikodem 1,872
- Noel 1,865
- Ned 1,614
- Neo 1,563
FAQ
Nat: questions and answers
How popular is the name Nat in the UK right now?
In 2017, Nat was ranked #4812 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Nat most popular?
The peak year on record was 2002, with 3 babies registered as Nat in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Nat?
A masculine diminutive of the Hebrew name Nathan, meaning "he gave".
How many people are called Nat in the UK?
A total of 9 babies have been registered as Nat across the 3 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.