Nathanael is a

biblical The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) biblical languages ...

given name A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a f ...

derived from the Hebrew נְתַנְאֵל (''Netan'el''), which means "God/ El has given" or "Gift of God/ El."

Nathaniel Nathaniel is an English variant of the biblical Hebrew name A name is a term used for identification by an external observer. They can identify a class or category of things, or a single thing, either uniquely, or within a given context. ...

is the variant form of this name and it stands to this day as the usual and most common spelling for a masculine given name. Other variants include Nathanel, Netanel and Nathanial. A short form is Nate. Several figures in the

Bible The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) originally writt ...

bear forms of this name. In the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), the name is shared by a prince (or chieftain) of the

Tribe of Issachar According to the Hebrew Bible, the Tribe of Issachar () was one of the twelve tribes of Israel and one of the ten lost tribes. In Jewish tradition, the descendants of Issachar were seen as being dominated by religious scholars and influential in ...

(

Numbers A number is a mathematical object used to count, measure, and label. The most basic examples are the natural numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, and so forth. Numbers can be represented in language with number words. More universally, individual numbers can ...

7:18–23, in the Naso parsha) and by a brother of

King David David (; , "beloved one") was a king of ancient Israel and Judah and the third king of the United Monarchy, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament. The Tel Dan stele, an Aramaic-inscribed stone erected by a king of Aram-Damas ...

Chronicles Chronicles may refer to: * Books of Chronicles in the Bible * Chronicle, chronological histories * ''The Chronicles of Narnia'', a novel series by C. S. Lewis * ''The Chronicles of Prydain'', a novel series by Lloyd Alexander. * ''Holinshed's Chro ...

2:14). In the

New Testament The New Testament (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus, as well as events relating to Christianity in the 1st century, first-century Christianit ...

, Nathanael is said to be an early follower of

Jesus of Nazareth Jesus ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the central figure of Christianity, the world's largest religi ...

, according to the

Gospel of John The Gospel of John () is the fourth of the New Testament's four canonical Gospels. It contains a highly schematic account of the ministry of Jesus, with seven "Book of Signs, signs" culminating in the raising of Lazarus (foreshadowing the ...

(1:45; 21:2). The related name Elnathan could be rendered "Gift of El" (Hebrew God). Four people named Elnathan are mentioned in the

Hebrew Bible The Hebrew Bible or Tanakh (;"Tanach"
. '' Jonathan Jonathan may refer to: *Jonathan (name), a masculine given name Media * ''Jonathan'' (1970 film), a German film directed by Hans W. Geißendörfer * ''Jonathan'' (2016 film), a German film directed by Piotr J. Lewandowski * ''Jonathan'' (2018 ...

, which signifies "

YHWH The TetragrammatonPronounced ; ; also known as the Tetragram. is the four-letter Hebrew-language theonym (transliterated as YHWH or YHVH), the name of God in the Hebrew Bible. The four Hebrew letters, written and read from right to left, a ...

has given".

In the Bible

Nathanael (follower of Jesus) Nathanael,Hebrew נתנאל, , "God has given" also known as NathanielAs in the International Standard Version. Also "Natan'el" in the Complete Jewish Bible. of Cana was a disciple of Jesus, mentioned only in chapters 1 and 21 of the Gospel ...

in the

Notable people with this name

A

Nate Ackerman Nathanael Leedom Ackerman (born March 4, 1978), known as Nate Ackerman, is a British-American mathematician and wrestler. He is the son of Peter Ackerman and Joanne Leedom-Ackerman. Ackerman competed in the 2004 Summer Olympic Games as part ...

(born 1978), a British-American mathematician and wrestler

B

Nathanael Ball Nathanael Ball (1623 – 8 September 1681) was an English clergyman, an assistant to Brian Walton in his ''London Polyglot'' Bible. Life He was born at Pitminster, near Taunton Dean, Somerset. He was educated at Merchant Taylors' School befor ...

(1623–1681), an English clergyman, assistant to Brian Walton in his ''

London Polyglot A polyglot is a book that contains side-by-side versions of the same text in several different languages. Some editions of the Bible or its parts are polyglots, in which the Hebrew and Greek originals are exhibited along with historical transla ...

'' Bible *

Nate Bargatze Nathanael Bargatze ( ; born March 25, 1979)Nathanael Barnes Nathanael Barnes (born 11 October 1987) is an Australian rugby league footballer. Barnes is the Tweed Heads Seagulls leading try scorer of all time. He scored a total of 73 tries in 92 games for the club in the Queensland Cup. In 2012 he was n ...

(born 1987), an Australian rugby league footballer *

Nathanael Burwash Nathanael Burwash (1839–1918) was a Canadian Methodist minister and university administrator. Early life and education Rev. Nathanael Burwash was born in St. Andrews East, Lower Canada, on 25 July 1839, the eldest son of the devout Methodis ...

(1839–1918), a Canadian methodist, minister and university administrator

C

Nathanael Carpenter Nathanael Carpenter (7 February 1589 – c. 1628) was an English writer, philosopher, and geographer. Life He was son of John Carpenter, rector of Northleigh, Devon. gives his birth date as 7 February 1588 and states that he was born in North- ...

(1589 – c. 1628), an English author, philosopher, and geographer *

Nathanael Chalmers Nathanael Chalmers (22 August 1830 – 2 December 1910) was a New Zealand pastoralist, explorer, politician, planter, sugar miller and magistrate. He was born in Rothesay, on the island of Bute, Scotland on 22 August 1830. He was a member of t ...

(1830–1910), a New Zealand pastoralist, explorer, politician, planter, sugar miller and magistrate

D

Nathanael Diesel Nathanael Diesel (1692 – October 26, 1745) was a Danish composer, violinist and lutenist. He was a teacher to Princess Charlotte Amalie of Denmark. See also *List of Danish composers The following is a list of notable Denmark, Danish co ...

(1692–1745), a Danish composer

E

Nathanael Emmons Nathanael Emmons, sometimes spelled Nathaniel Emmons, (April 20, 1745 – September 23, 1840) was an American Congregational minister and influential theologian of the New Divinity school. He was born at East Haddam, Connecticut. Emmons graduat ...

(1745–1840), an American congregational minister

F

* Nathanael Fouquet (born 1972), a French slalom canoeist

G

Nathanael Gray Nathanael S. Gray is an American chemist. He serves as Krishnan-Shah Family Professor of chemical and systems biology at Stanford University and director of cancer therapeutics programme at Stanford University School of Medicine. Previously he wa ...

, a professor of biological chemistry and molecular pharmacology at

Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School (HMS) is the medical school of Harvard University and is located in the Longwood Medical and Academic Area, Longwood Medical Area in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1782, HMS is the third oldest medical school in the Un ...

Nathanael Greene Major general (United States), Major General Nathanael Greene (August 7, 1742 – June 19, 1786) was an American military officer and planter who served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, Revolutionary War. He emerge ...

(1742–1786), Major General of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War * August Nathanael Grischow (1726–1760), a German mathematician and astronomer

H

Nathanael Greene Herreshoff Nathanael Greene Herreshoff (March 18, 1848 – June 2, 1938) was an American naval architect, mechanical engineer, and yacht design innovator. He produced a succession of undefeated America's Cup defenders between 1893 and 1920. Biography Her ...

(1848–1938), American naval architect

J

Nathanael Jones Nathanael Jones (c. 1624 – 1683), Esq., of Hendwr, Merionethshire, was a Welsh gentleman-poet. Nathanael Jones was born in the parish of Llandrillo-yn-Edeirnion, the second son of Maurice Jones, Esq. of Faerdref Uchaf, and later moved to Hend ...

(c. 1624 – 1683), a Welsh gentleman-poet

L

* Nathanael Gottfried Leske (1751–1786), a German scientist and geologist *

Johann Nathanael Lieberkühn Johann Nathanael Lieberkühn (5 September 1711, in Berlin – 7 October 1756, in Berlin) was a German physician. His middle name is sometimes misspelled ''Nathaniel''. Lieberkühn studied theology initially, and then moved to physics, in particu ...

(1711–1756), a German Physician *

Nathanael Liminski Nathanael Liminski (born 19 September 1985) is a German politician from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). Since 30 June 2017, he has been Head of the State Chancellery of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and since June 29, 2022 Minister for Fede ...

(born 1985), a German politician

M

* Nathanael Matthaeus von Wolf (1724–1784), a German botanist, physician and astronomer * Nathanael Mbourou (born 1996), a Gabonese professional footballer

N

Nat Neujean Nathanael Neujean (5 January 1923 – 4 February 2018) was a Belgian sculptor from Antwerp. A figurative artist, he mostly worked in plaster and bronze. His works are held in various international collections. He has been honored as a Grand Office ...

(1923–2018), a Belgian sculptor

O

Nate Oats Nathanael Justin Oats (born October 13, 1974) is an American basketball coach, currently the head men's basketball coach at the University of Alabama. Prior to Alabama, he was the head coach at the University at Buffalo. Education and playing ca ...

(born 1974), an American basketball coach * Nathanael Ogbeta (born 2001), an English footballer * Nathanael of Ohrid (1820–1906), a Bulgarian cleric, writer and revolutionary from

Macedonia Macedonia (, , , ), most commonly refers to: * North Macedonia, a country in southeastern Europe, known until 2019 as the Republic of Macedonia * Macedonia (ancient kingdom), a kingdom in Greek antiquity * Macedonia (Greece), a former administr ...

* Nathanael Orr (1917–2016), an Australian politician

P

* Nathanael G. Pendleton (1793–1861), an American politician *

Nathanael Pringsheim Nathanael Pringsheim (30 November 1823 – 6 October 1894) was a German botanist. Biography Nathanael Pringsheim was born at Landsberg, Prussian Silesia, and studied at the universities of Breslau, Leipzig, and Berlin successively. He graduated ...

(1823–1894), a German botanist

R

Nathan Ralph Nathanael Anthony Ralph (born 14 February 1993) is an English Association football, footballer, who plays as a Defender (association football)#Full-back, left back or midfielder#Winger, winger for club Southend United F.C., Southend United, for ...

(born 1993), an English footballer *

Nathanael Richards Nathanael Richards (floruit, fl. 1630–1654) was an English dramatist and poet, perhaps from Kent. He should not be confused with Nathaniel Richards (1611–1660), a cleric. Background and possible connections to the Hammond family A possible ...

(1630–1654), an English dramatist

S

Nate Saint Nathanael Saint (30 August 19238 January 1956) was an evangelicalism, evangelical Christian missionary Aviator, pilot who, along with four others, was killed in Ecuador while attempting to Evangelism, evangelize the Huaorani people, Huaorani peop ...

(1923–1956), an evangelical Christian missionary pilot * Nathanael Saleh (born 2006), an English actor *

Nathanael Salmon Nathanael (or Nathaniel) Salmon (22 March 1675 – 2 April 1742) was an English antiquary who wrote books on Roman and other antiquities to be found in the south-east of England. He was not well respected as a scholar in his time or subsequently ...

(1675–1742), an English antiquary * Nathanaël (born Nathalie Stephens, 1970), Canadian writer and translator

V

* Nathanael Villanueva (born 1995), a Filipino footballer

W

Nathanael West Nathanael West (born Nathan Weinstein; October 17, 1903 – December 22, 1940) was an American writer and screenwriter. He is remembered for two darkly satirical novels: '' Miss Lonelyhearts'' (1933) and '' The Day of the Locust'' (1939), set ...

(1903–1940), American writer * Nathanael Wiseman, an entrepreneur and founder and CEO of Award-winning production company Redeeming Features

People with the name Nathanial

* Nathanial Saltonstall (c. 1639 – 1707), American judge

References

{{given name Jewish given names Theophoric names English masculine given names Masculine given names Hebrew masculine given names