Boys' name · peaked in 1899
Nelson name popularity since 1925
68,966 babies born in the US from 1925 to 2025 were named Nelson (0.6% girls, 99.4% boys). Half of them were born in 1968 or earlier, so the typical Nelson is about 58 years old in 2026. Nelson peaked in 1899 as the #147 name for boys, and it ranked #825 in 2025.
Key facts
- US babies since 1925
- 68,966
- Named Nelson, 1925–2025
- Peak year
- 1899
- #147 for boys that year
- In 2025
- #825
- for boys in 2025 (300 babies)
- Girls / boys
- 99.4% boys
- 381 girls · 68,585 boys
- Most popular in
- Hawaii
- 3.43× its national share
Peak year is the year Nelson made up the largest share of US boys, in records going back to 1880. Typical age is based on births from 1925 on, not on who is living today.
Nelson births per year, 1925–2025
The biggest year on this chart was 1959. Measured as a share of all babies, Nelson peaked earlier, in 1899.
Decade by decade
Babies named Nelson in each decade, and its rank among boys' names in the middle year of the decade (1935, 1945 … 2025).
| Decade | Girls | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1925–29 | 24 | 3,367 | – |
| 1930s | 51 | 6,473 | #209 |
| 1940s | 31 | 7,823 | #206 |
| 1950s | 23 | 9,198 | #235 |
| 1960s | 45 | 8,562 | #259 |
| 1970s | 84 | 6,847 | #277 |
| 1980s | 58 | 7,009 | #290 |
| 1990s | 38 | 7,164 | #356 |
| 2000s | 6 | 5,877 | #441 |
| 2010s | 5 | 4,270 | #627 |
| 2020–25 | 16 | 1,995 | #825 |
Ranks count every name given to at least 5 boys that year, so they can go past 1,000.
Generation fingerprint
24.8% of babies named Nelson from 1925 to 2025 were born in the Baby Boom years (1946–1964). The full split by generation:
Where Nelson is most popular
The index compares Nelson's share of babies in each state with its share nationwide, 1925–2025 (1.50× = 50% more common). States with at least 300 babies named Nelson.
| State | Index | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 3.43× | 700 |
| New York | 2.35× | 11,657 |
| Virginia | 1.81× | 2,672 |
| New Jersey | 1.73× | 3,109 |
| Louisiana | 1.64× | 1,928 |
Names with a similar story
Of the other 1999 names on this site, these six had the share of babies closest in shape to Nelson's from 1925 to 2025, however common each one got. Each line is scaled to its own high; the dashed line is Nelson.
Names from the same era
Other common names that peaked within two years of Nelson (1899).
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration national and state baby-name data, which covers names given to at least 5 babies of one sex in a year. About the data