Given name & surname
Cathan
“a gift from God”·“he has given”·“God has given”
Cathan is a form of Nathan. Nathan’s Hebrew meaning is “he has given,” traditionally understood as “God has given.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In American use, Cathan carries the interpretation “a gift from God.” Cathan is a form of Nathan. Nathan’s Hebrew meaning is “he has given,” traditionally understood as “God has given.”
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is American.
How it developed
Cathan is used as a form of Nathan. Cathan is a form of Nathan. The shared background comes through Nathan: Nathan can stand as its own biblical name. Nathan has also been used as a short form of Nathaniel or Jonathan, but those later naming practices do not fully explain its origin.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 2001. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Cathan is a form of Nathan. The history of Nathan gives this family its wider story. In the biblical account, Nathan is the prophet who confronts King David over the death of Uriah and David’s relationship with Bathsheba. Another Nathan is one of David’s sons.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Cathan through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 109
- 109 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2007
- 11 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 6 in 2024. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Cathan’s family of names
Cathan is a form of Nathan. Cathan has a related form in Caethan. Cathan has a related form in Caethen.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 16
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Cathan, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Kathan
“a gift from God” · “he has given”
>99% boys
Lathan
“a gift from God” · “he has given”
>99% boys
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“from the queen's town or settlement”
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Kyan
“the little king”
97% boys · 3% girls
Kamon
“resembling an alligator”
>99% boys
Cougar
“resembling the wild animal”
>99% boys
Covin
“an unpredictable woman”
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Jairdan
“one who educates others” · “one who enlightens others”
>99% boys