Nathan means gift, and the prophet Nathan gave King David the hardest gift of all: the truth. When David sinned with Bathsheba and against Uriah, Nathan told him a parable about a poor man's ewe lamb, watched David condemn himself, and then said the words that broke him open — thou art the man.
It was also Nathan who delivered God's great covenant promise to David, that his house and throne would be established for ever. Faithful in both blessing and rebuke, he models the courage to speak truth to power in love.
Nathan is a clean, strong classic — biblical, timeless, and never out of style.
Variants & nicknames
Nate, Nathaniel, Natan
Nathan in the Bible
And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;