Nelson
Nelson was the 825th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 300 babies. Its best year was 1882, when it ranked 136th; the most babies were born in 1959 (1,084). Over the last ten years it has moved down 198 places. More babies were named Nelson in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Meaning son of Neil (or Nell) · English, Irish
Say it NEL-sun /ˈnɛlsən/
- Rank in 2025
- #825 boys, down 155 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 300boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 19591,084 babies
- Total since 1880
- 80,140babies recorded
What does the name Nelson mean?
Nelson is an English patronymic surname, 'son of Neil' (or of Nell), formed with -son. Neil is the anglicized form of Irish Niall, whose meaning is uncertain. In the US the surname also absorbed Scandinavian Nilsson, Nielsen and Nilsen, 'son of Nils (Nicholas)'. It became a given name in honor of Admiral Horatio Nelson, and later Nelson Mandela gave it worldwide recognition.
Neil (English, “from Irish Niall”)-son (English, “son of”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Neil, Nils, Nilsson.
See also: English names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Nelson', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Neil', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Nilsson', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
Nicknames for Nelson
The usual nicknames for Nelson are Nels. Some parents skip the long form: for every 100 boys named Nelson in the last five years, 6 were named Nels, against 2 twenty years earlier.
| Nickname | Kind | Rank 2025 | Boys, 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nels | Traditional | #4,656 | 101 |
Nicknames reviewed by our editors; counts are boys given the nickname as their legal first name. Nobody records how many Nelsons go by each one.
Nelson popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 431 since 1913.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #825 | 300 |
| 2020 | #670 | 388 |
| 2010 | #569 | 447 |
| 2000 | #414 | 602 |
| 1990 | #279 | 931 |
| 1980 | #297 | 684 |
| 1970 | #279 | 756 |
| 1960 | #250 | 1,016 |
| 1950 | #229 | 804 |
| 1940 | #182 | 807 |
| 1930 | #209 | 630 |
| 1920 | #187 | 740 |
| 1910 | #189 | 142 |
| 1900 | #154 | 135 |
| 1890 | #191 | 71 |
| 1880 | #138 | 99 |
How popular is Nelson, counting every spelling?
Nelson has no other common spelling that sounds the same. Counting every name's spellings together, it ranks #805 for boys in 2025, against #825 on the official list.
How many kids will share the name Nelson?
300 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Nelson (0.08 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Nelson born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 28 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Nelson.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Nelson?
About 48,800 people born in the US named Nelson are alive today, with a median age of 45; half are between 27 and 64. That makes Nelson mostly worn by adults in their thirties to fifties. The wide spread shows a name popular in two different eras.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Nelson by state
How common Nelson was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Maryland (3.0×), Wisconsin (1.9×), Iowa (1.8×), Virginia (1.8×), New York (1.5×). In 19 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Nelson: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Nelson, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Nelson · Sibling names for Nelson
Questions about the name Nelson
What does Nelson mean?
Nelson means “son of Neil (or Nell)” (English, Irish origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Nelson?
Nelson was the 825th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 300 babies. Its best year was 1882, when it ranked 136th; the most babies were born in 1959 (1,084). Over the last ten years it has moved down 198 places. More babies were named Nelson in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Is Nelson a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Nelson in the US.
Where is Nelson most popular?
In 2021–2025, Nelson was most common in Maryland (0.55 per 1,000 boys), followed by Wisconsin and Iowa.