ðə sˈʌbɜːb wʌz nˈeɪmd ˌɔn wˈʌn ˈɔːɡəst nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti sˈɛvən ˈæftɚ sˌɜː mˈæθjuː nˈeɪθən, ɡˈʌvɚnɚɹ ʌv kwˈiːnslənd fɹʌm nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti tə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti sˈɪks.
The suburb was named on 1 August 1967 after Sir Matthew Nathan, Governor of Queensland from 1920 to 1926.