Nelson
From Middle English Neil + -son and Nell + -son.
Every Nelson since 1880 — 80,140 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Nelson
Nelson is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #825 in 2025 with 300 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 80,140 American babies have been named Nelson. Its peak came in 1959, when 1,084 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Nelson stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Nelson year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 300 | #825 |
| 2024 | — | — | 323 | #778 |
| 2023 | 6 | #14,670 | 311 | #798 |
| 2022 | 5 | #17,057 | 315 | #799 |
| 2021 | — | — | 358 | #722 |
| 2020 | 5 | #16,829 | 388 | #670 |
| 2019 | 5 | #17,301 | 407 | #654 |
| 2018 | — | — | 374 | #672 |
| 2017 | — | — | 411 | #632 |
| 2016 | — | — | 431 | #622 |
| 2015 | — | — | 426 | #627 |
| 2014 | — | — | 409 | #645 |
| 2013 | — | — | 442 | #581 |
| 2012 | — | — | 466 | #558 |
| 2011 | — | — | 457 | #556 |
| 2010 | — | — | 447 | #569 |
| 2009 | — | — | 520 | #520 |
| 2008 | — | — | 551 | #498 |
| 2007 | — | — | 584 | #467 |
| 2006 | — | — | 605 | #448 |
| 2005 | — | — | 595 | #441 |
| 2004 | 6 | #15,534 | 574 | #450 |
| 2003 | — | — | 612 | #422 |
| 2002 | — | — | 619 | #409 |
| 2001 | — | — | 615 | #407 |
| 2000 | — | — | 602 | #414 |
| 1995 | 6 | #12,879 | 681 | #356 |
| 1990 | 5 | #14,518 | 931 | #279 |
| 1985 | — | — | 706 | #290 |
| 1980 | 6 | #9,951 | 684 | #297 |
| 1975 | 5 | #10,083 | 690 | #277 |
| 1970 | 12 | #4,681 | 756 | #279 |
| 1965 | 5 | #7,220 | 815 | #259 |
| 1960 | 5 | #7,034 | 1,016 | #250 |
| 1955 | — | — | 914 | #235 |
| 1950 | — | — | 804 | #229 |
| 1945 | — | — | 696 | #206 |
| 1940 | — | — | 807 | #182 |
| 1935 | 6 | #4,094 | 578 | #209 |
| 1930 | 7 | #3,942 | 630 | #209 |
| 1925 | — | — | 738 | #186 |
| 1920 | 5 | #5,546 | 740 | #187 |
| 1915 | 5 | #4,773 | 606 | #184 |
| 1910 | — | — | 142 | #189 |
| 1905 | — | — | 126 | #160 |
| 1900 | — | — | 135 | #154 |
| 1895 | — | — | 108 | #143 |
| 1890 | — | — | 71 | #191 |
| 1885 | — | — | 83 | #160 |
| 1880 | — | — | 99 | #138 |
Famous people named Nelson
- Nelson Mandela Social activist · 1918–2013
- Nelson Rockefeller Politician · 1908–1979
- Nelson Piquet Racing driver · b. 1952
- Nelson Goodman Philosopher · 1906–1998
- Nelson Algren Writer · 1909–1981
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Nelson mean?
From Middle English Neil + -son and Nell + -son.
How popular is the name Nelson in 2025?
Nelson ranked #825 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 300 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Nelson?
80,140 babies have been named Nelson in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Nelson most popular?
Nelson peaked in 1959, when 1,084 newborns received the name.
Is Nelson a boy or girl name?
Nelson is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Nelson rising or falling?
Nelson is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Nelson?
Well-known people named Nelson include Nelson Mandela (social activist), Nelson Rockefeller (politician), Nelson Piquet (racing driver).