Nathaniel

English

Etymology

Modification, under influence of Daniel, of Nathanael, from Ancient Greek Ναθαναήλ (Nathanaḗl), from Biblical Hebrew נְתַנְאֵל (Netan'el, literally God has given).[1]

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /nəˈθæn.jəl/
  • (file)

Proper noun

Nathaniel

  1. A male given name.
    • 1594 William Shakespeare: The Taming of the Shrew: Act IV, Scene I:
      Nathaniel's coat, sir, was not fully made,
      And Gabriel's pumps were all unpink'd i' the heel.
    • 1837 Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers, Chapter 34:
      ‘What’s your Christian name, Sir?’ angrily inquired the little judge. ‘Nathaniel, Sir.’ ‘Daniel—any other name?’ ‘Nathaniel, sir—my Lord, I mean.’ ‘Nathaniel Daniel, or Daniel Nathaniel?’ ‘No, my Lord, only Nathaniel —not Daniel at all.’ ‘What did you tell me it was Daniel for, then, sir?’ inquired the judge.
    • 2010 Sophie Hannah, A Room Swept White, Hodder & Stoughton, →ISBN, page 102:
      Marcella and Nathaniel. Now I know their names. I haven't thought much about having children, but if I did, I wouldn't give them names like that. They're the sort of names you choose if you think you're someone to be reckoned with.

Translations

Further reading

References

  1. Hanks, Patrick, et al. Oxford Dictionary of First Names (Second Edition). Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006. Print.
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