Nelson
How to say it: NEL-sun · /ˈnɛlsən/
From an English surname meaning 'son of Neil'; Neil derives from Old Irish 'niall' meaning champion or cloud.
Nelson was the 765th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 300 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1890s, its births are down about 29% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #872 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #765 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 300 |
| Share of births | 1 in 11,051 |
| Peak decade | 1890s |
| Change over 10 years | −29% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #872 |
| In France, 2025 | #598 among boys’ names, 60 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Through the 1890s Nelson held its greatest share. Far below that mark at present, it appears headed for further decline.
What goes with it
Mellow and breathy, Nelson holds a soft hum. Walter matches its vintage tread and Nell gives a cozy short form.
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Nelson is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Dutch, English, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish.
In France: #598 for boys in 2025.
Famous people named Nelson
- Nelson Mandela (1918–2013)President of South Africa and anti-apartheid activist
- Nelson Piquet (born 1952)Brazilian racing driver
- Nelson Rockefeller (1908–1979)Vice President of the United States from 1974 to 1977
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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