pˈɛɹs hɐz sˈɛd ðæt bˈɪɡ nˈeɪt, wˌɪtʃ fˈiːtʃɚd ˈoʊnli sˈɪks kˈæɹɪktɚz wɛn ɪt stˈɑːɹɾᵻd, ɚɹˈɪdʒᵻnˌeɪɾᵻd æz ˈeɪ "dəmˈɛstɪk hjˈuːmɚ" stɹˈɪp, ænd ðæt hiː ɪntˈɛndᵻd tə fˈoʊkəs ˌɔn nˈeɪtz fˈæmɪli lˈaɪf.
Peirce has said that Big Nate, which featured only six characters when it started, originated as a "domestic humor" strip, and that he intended to focus on Nate's family life.