Name day
Nathan: Name Day and Patron Saint
Nathan keeps the name day on the Sunday between 11 and 17 December, the feast of the Prophet Nathan: next on 13 December 2026.
- Patron saint
- the Prophet Nathan
- New Calendar
- the Sunday between 11 and 17 December
- Next name day
- 13 December 2026 (New Calendar) · 27 December 2026 (Old Calendar)
The patron saint: the Prophet Nathan
Kept on the Sunday between 11 and 17 December · Sunday of the Holy Forefathers
The holy Prophet Nathan served God at the court of King David and later of Solomon, as an adviser to the kings and the bearer of the Lord’s word to them. When David wished to build a temple for the Lord, Nathan at first encouraged him, but then by God’s command told him that the house would not be built by him, and brought him the promise that his house and kingdom would endure. His best-known service came after David had taken Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, and sent her husband to his death. Nathan went to the king with the parable of the poor man’s one little lamb, and when David burned with anger at the rich man, the prophet told him, “You are the man”. David confessed his sin, and through Nathan received God’s pardon. The Church still recalls this in the prayer of absolution at Confession, which asks God to forgive the penitent as He pardoned David through the Prophet Nathan. Nathan also gave Solomon the name Jedidiah, “beloved of the Lord”, helped bring about Solomon’s accession to the throne, and recorded the acts of David and Solomon. The Church remembers him with all the Forefathers of Christ on the Sunday of the Holy Forefathers, the Sunday between 11 and 17 December (on the Old Calendar, the Sunday between 24 and 30 December). The faithful ask his prayers for the grace of honest repentance and for the courage to speak the truth in love.
What the faithful pray for
- a true confession and the grace of repentance
- courage to speak the truth with love
- those who counsel and guide others
- leaders who need wise counsel
Nathan in other languages
| Language | The name | Short forms |
|---|---|---|
| English | Nathan, Natan | Nate |
| Greek | Νάθαν, Nathan | |
| Russian | Нафан, Nafan |
An icon for Nathan
We don't carry an icon of the Prophet Nathan yet. Ask for it below, and we will write to you when it is in.
Closest to it
For every name: the Guardian Angel, given at baptism
Have it consecrated by our priest before it reaches you: Consecration, $49.
A name-day gift for Nathan
Name-Day Gift Set $213$149
A patron saint's folding diptych chosen by first name, a stainless steel crucifix and a prayer rope, in a gift box with a card giving the saint's life and feast day.
The St Nicholas the Wonderworker & Guardian Angel Folding Diptych is chosen, for the Guardian Angel every Orthodox Christian receives at baptism, and the name is filled in.
Questions
When is Nathan’s name day?
Nathan keeps the name day on the Sunday between 11 and 17 December, the feast of the Prophet Nathan; the next is on 13 December 2026.
Who is the patron saint of Nathan?
the Prophet Nathan. The holy Prophet Nathan served God at the court of King David and later of Solomon, as an adviser to the kings and the bearer of the Lord’s word to them.
How is Nathan written in other languages?
Greek: Νάθαν (Nathan) and Russian: Нафан (Nafan). Every form of the name keeps the same saint.
What is a good name-day gift for Nathan?
We don’t carry an icon of the Prophet Nathan yet, and you can ask for one on this page. Every Orthodox Christian has a Guardian Angel from baptism, so the Name-Day Gift Set ($149) with the Guardian Angel diptych is always fitting.
More about name days
- Name Days Explained: What They Are, How Families Keep Them, and Gifts
A name day is the feast of the saint whose name you carry. Here is how to find yours on either calendar, how Greek and Russian families keep it, and what to give.
- Orthodox Patron Saint: How to Find Yours (by Name, Day or Choice)
Your Orthodox patron saint is the saint whose name you were given at baptism. Here is how to find yours by name, by the day of your birth or baptism, or by choice, and how to keep the name day.
- Find another name