Meaning & origin
A reliable meaning for Nazareth isn’t established in our sources yet. Rather than guess, we show what is recorded: how the name is used, how often, and the names it’s connected to.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1920. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Nazareth through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 2,402
- 1,198 boys · 1,204 girls
- Most popular year
- 2023
- 156 babies
- 2025
- 117
- #2,530 for girls · #2,744 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +17%
- Rising
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 38% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 70 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 2,530 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 28.3% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 47 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (12). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,668 as a first name in 2020; 593 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Nazareth’s family of names
Nazareth has a later derivative in Nazario.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 1
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.
See also 3
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Nazareth
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Nazareth, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
North
“a man from the north”
59% boys · 41% girls
Amor
“one who is loves and is loved”
27% boys · 73% girls
Aza
“one who provides comfort” · “powerful”
27% boys · 73% girls
Aris
“the best” · “one who is superior”
59% boys · 41% girls
Arbor
Arbor is a masculine given name. It is used in Albanian.
43% boys · 57% girls
Merit
“from the boundary's gate” · “one who deserves good fortune”
44% boys · 56% girls
Ary
“resembling a lion or an eagle”
30% boys · 70% girls
Arie
“resembling a lion or an eagle”
36% boys · 64% girls