Nelson - A very unique male name
Nelson at a glance
Nelson is ranked #859 among boy baby names in 2025, with 234 births in 2025. It peaked in 1912 at #165 and first appeared on the charts in 1910.
- Rank in 2025
- #859
- Births in 2025
- 234
- Peak year
- 1912 (#165)
- First appeared
- 1910
- Trend
- #671 in 2020 → #859 in 2025 (Falling)
- Popularity
- 1 in 6,266 boys
- Visitor rating
- 5.0/5 (2 recent votes)
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration · Data through 2025 · Updated 2026
With that position 1 in 6,266 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Nelson peaked in popularity 114 years ago in 1912 on position 165.
Famous with this name
Judd Nelson
Tim Blake Nelson
Ian Nelson
How would you rate Nelson, 1-5?
Nelson is currently topping the charts in...
Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Nelson is currently topping the baby name charts in Maryland at position #464 - and is the least popular in Tennessee at position #1,143.Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Nelson is where you live.
Comment and discuss
Nelson origin and meaning
English surname
A transferred surname meaning 'son of Neil' — Neil is the Irish Niall, whose own meaning (champion? cloud?) is disputed
Nelson is a patronymic surname, and its first-name life has always run on admiration — first for Admiral Lord Nelson, then above all for Nelson Mandela, who was given the English name Nelson by a schoolteacher and carried it to world fame. In the US the name peaked in 1959 and has been sliding for decades.
Attested etymology
Nelson is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.
To see famous people named Nelson, pop culture references for the name Nelson and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.Similar to Nelson
We've found the following names that sound similar to Nelson, sorted by popularity.
Nilson /Name statistics
Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better
understanding of how popular or unique this name is.
With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually
differ a lot from state to state.
Chart position per year (visualized)
Chart position per state (visualized)
Chart position per year (table view)
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 859 |
| 2024 | 799 |
| 2023 | 793 |
| 2022 | 796 |
| 2021 | 729 |
| 2020 | 671 |
| 2019 | 646 |
| 2018 | 666 |
| 2017 | 636 |
| 2016 | 628 |
| 2015 | 634 |
| 2014 | 646 |
| 2013 | 582 |
| 2012 | 569 |
| 2011 | 571 |
| 2010 | 546 |
| 2009 | 527 |
| 2008 | 498 |
| 2007 | 468 |
| 2006 | 453 |
| 2005 | 443 |
| 2004 | 457 |
| 2003 | 433 |
| 2002 | 414 |
| 2001 | 411 |
| 2000 | 415 |
| 1999 | 403 |
| 1998 | 397 |
| 1997 | 393 |
| 1996 | 379 |
| 1995 | 358 |
| 1994 | 350 |
| 1993 | 334 |
| 1992 | 326 |
| 1991 | 321 |
| 1990 | 281 |
| 1989 | 288 |
| 1988 | 305 |
| 1987 | 305 |
| 1986 | 296 |
| 1985 | 294 |
| 1984 | 304 |
| 1983 | 318 |
| 1982 | 306 |
| 1981 | 302 |
| 1980 | 299 |
| 1979 | 303 |
| 1978 | 288 |
| 1977 | 296 |
| 1976 | 269 |
| 1975 | 279 |
| 1974 | 281 |
| 1973 | 306 |
| 1972 | 298 |
| 1971 | 276 |
| 1970 | 284 |
| 1969 | 272 |
| 1968 | 266 |
| 1967 | 257 |
| 1966 | 275 |
| 1965 | 257 |
| 1964 | 271 |
| 1963 | 247 |
| 1962 | 255 |
| 1961 | 254 |
| 1960 | 252 |
| 1959 | 245 |
| 1958 | 253 |
| 1957 | 250 |
| 1956 | 241 |
| 1955 | 235 |
| 1954 | 228 |
| 1953 | 214 |
| 1952 | 232 |
| 1951 | 233 |
| 1950 | 225 |
| 1949 | 232 |
| 1948 | 229 |
| 1947 | 224 |
| 1946 | 221 |
| 1945 | 204 |
| 1944 | 206 |
| 1943 | 201 |
| 1942 | 179 |
| 1941 | 186 |
| 1940 | 182 |
| 1939 | 177 |
| 1938 | 182 |
| 1937 | 191 |
| 1936 | 198 |
| 1935 | 208 |
| 1934 | 213 |
| 1933 | 204 |
| 1932 | 201 |
| 1931 | 208 |
| 1930 | 210 |
| 1929 | 214 |
| 1928 | 198 |
| 1927 | 206 |
| 1926 | 203 |
| 1925 | 186 |
| 1924 | 188 |
| 1923 | 196 |
| 1922 | 202 |
| 1921 | 195 |
| 1920 | 187 |
| 1919 | 186 |
| 1918 | 188 |
| 1917 | 195 |
| 1916 | 188 |
| 1915 | 185 |
| 1914 | 173 |
| 1913 | 191 |
| 1912 | 165 |
| 1911 | 181 |
| 1910 | 207 |
Chart position per state (table view)
| State | Rank |
|---|---|
| Maryland | 464 |
| New York | 522 |
| South Carolina | 539 |
| Virginia | 655 |
| Alabama | 666 |
| Louisiana | 742 |
| Florida | 744 |
| California | 750 |
| Arizona | 756 |
| New Jersey | 810 |
| Pennsylvania | 830 |
| Georgia | 832 |
| Wisconsin | 852 |
| Ohio | 917 |
| Texas | 1033 |
| Indiana | 1042 |
| Washington | 1103 |
| Illinois | 1105 |
| North Carolina | 1109 |
| Tennessee | 1143 |
Even more about Nelson
These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.
Is Nelson a common or unique name?
By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.What is the number of syllables for the name Nelson?
2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.Pronunciation
NEL-sun · /ˈnɛlsən/
Around the world
No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.
Spellings and nicknames
- Nelsen — A Scandinavian-flavoured spelling variant
Famous bearers
- Nelson Mandela — South African anti-apartheid leader and president — born Rolihlahla Mandela, he was given the name Nelson at school and became universally known by it (1918–2013) Contemporary
Style
Surname
Why parents choose it
Nelson is chosen for quiet dignity and for Mandela — a name that signals integrity more than fashion.
Worth knowing
- It peaked in 1959 and is still falling, so it reads as an older man's name
- The wrestling 'nelson' hold is a minor playground association
