Nathaniel or Nathanael

I always think of the shortings of Nath or Nate when I hear the name.

Thank you for the reply. I am new, so it was very thoughtful and helpful!

@Researchmama - Yes, a zombie is an old post that has been resurrected. I look at old name posts too and it's completely understandable in your case that you posted since you have useful and helpful experience of the name Nathanael/Nathaniel. But in general Mumsnet encourages starting new threads so I wouldn't have posted if I'd checked the date - as it was only my opinion about the lovely Nathaniel and not now relevant to the OP, whose Nathaniel/Nathanael will be 5/6 by now !

What’s a zombie? An old post? I wrote in because people are always looking at name boards, new and old - at least I do!

Doh, just realised this is a zombie!

While Nathanael is the original, the vast majority in the UK are spelt Nathaniel now so I'd stick with that for ease. For me it's like the original classical (and Shakespearean) Silvia - the original might look nicer but I don't think it's fair on a child to always have to spell their name when there's an alternative.

I Don't like the biblical spelling but I have a Nathaniel.

Dsis had a biblical spelling to an otherwise common name and spends her life having to clarify its ael.

In case anyone sees this post in the future...my husband’s name is Nathanael. Nobody has ever, not once, gotten the spelling right. Everyone calls him Nathan or Nate. His spelling is a needless complication. Additionally people judge the spelling as odd and indicative of a lack of education.

I prefer Nathaniel but I may be biased

Maybe there's a higher density of Nathaniels around somewhere with their ubiquitous spelling?

That would be right, so sayeth the stats

As I said, Nathaniel has been by far the most popular spelling since the reformation in England (It wasn't really used at all, any spelling, before that). It became very popular name. Nathaniel has remained the most popular spelling since then up to present day. One of my sources for reformation period actually lists Nathanael as a 'variant' spelling, it was so little used here.

Nathaniel

I don't know about you, but I don't know too many Nathanael/iels anyway. I know two: one of each. Maybe there's a higher density of Nathaniels around somewhere with their ubiquitous spelling?

Why am I so concerned about this?!

I wouldn't. I'd just think they preferred the old spelling.

I'd guess there was a strong religious connection if somebody chose Nathanael, given it has never been the more commonly used spelling in England.

Nathaniel has always * been the more common spelling in England, even after the reformation (when it was first really used). That's why so many of us aren't aware of Nathanael.
So 'original biblical spelling or not, more 'correct' or not, it's probably less troublesome to use the more commonly used version. But of course, is your choice, OP.

Well I have learnt something new today. I've never come across the biblical spelling Nathanael before.

As others have said, the other spelling is much much more common so if you use it rather than Nathaniel he'll be correcting the spelling a lot but that's not necessarily a deal breaker. Good luck with your new arrival.

Nathanael is perfectly consistent with Michael, Raphael, Rachael etc and nobody seems to have a problem with those.

Nathanael is the Biblical spelling and could be seen as the original and is nicer but I think Nathaniel is so much more common these days that if you use Nathanael nobody will ever spell it correctly so I'd go with Nathaniel.

I've also never seen the second spelling used and would also assume made up spelling (realise I am wrong though )

Yes, Nathanael is actually the original spelling.

People are mistaken if they think Nathanael is an alternative spelling, when it is in fact Nathaniel that is the variant.

Nathanael is and always be the original spelling, and indeed the authorised Biblical spelling.

I like both, but I prefer Nathanael, as I always prefer the original.

If it was fairly common, then how come so many of us have never seen it?
It's not like Ann/Anne, Alastair/Alasdair/Alistair or Clare/Clair/Claire.
It might be a perfectly legitimate variant, but to many people who have never encountered that spelling it looks as if it's been misspelt.

It would help if the people objecting to the second spelling actually spelled it right!

I understand that posters wouldn't like Nathaneal, because it's wrong. But Nathanael is an accepted, and actually fairly common spelling.

Agree - first spelling is best. Love the name btw!

Never seen the second spelling, but glad you're going with the first.