Fun Facts About the Name Nels
- More than 3 thousand babies named Nels: U.S. records list 3,841 babies given the name Nels from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Nels Mean?
Nels is a Scandinavian masculine name meaning "victory of the people." It is a variant of Swedish Nils and Danish Niels, which descend from the Greek Nikolaos, built from nike ("victory") and laos ("people"). The literal sense is "victory of the people," commonly rendered in English as "people's victory." The name is separate in origin from Neil and Nelson, which come from the Gaelic Niall.
Nels Name History & Origins
The Greek Nikolaos passed into Latin as Nicolaus and spread across medieval Europe through the veneration of Saint Nicholas, bishop of Myra in Asia Minor in the fourth century. In the Nordic countries the name took forms such as Swedish Nils, Danish Niels, and the related Nels, along with the short form Nisse. Nels was carried to North America by Scandinavian immigrants and appears as an anglicized spelling alongside Nils and Niels.
How Popular is the Name Nels?
Nels recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1918. Its best rank was #309 in 1884.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #4,656 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 2024 | #5,366 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2023 | #5,188 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2022 | #5,160 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2021 | #4,454 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 2020 | #5,624 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2019 | #6,672 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2018 | #7,464 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2017 | #5,709 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2016 | #5,972 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2015 | #6,209 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2014 | #4,652 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 2013 | #10,405 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2012 | #7,394 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2011 | #6,878 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2010 | #5,407 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2009 | #5,733 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2008 | #8,110 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2007 | #6,957 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2006 | #10,335 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 2005 | #5,494 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2004 | #6,404 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2003 | #7,658 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2002 | #6,903 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2001 | #5,319 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2000 | #5,242 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1999 | #7,656 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1998 | #5,095 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1997 | #4,612 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1996 | #3,636 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1995 | #5,405 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1994 | #5,027 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1993 | #3,599 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 1992 | #3,700 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1991 | #3,575 | 17 | 0.0008% |
| 1990 | #2,841 | 23 | 0.0011% |
| 1989 | #2,589 | 25 | 0.0012% |
| 1988 | #3,474 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1987 | #2,533 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 1986 | #2,481 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 1985 | #2,793 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1984 | #2,020 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 1983 | #2,471 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1982 | #1,532 | 41 | 0.0023% |
| 1981 | #1,847 | 31 | 0.0017% |
| 1980 | #1,464 | 43 | 0.0024% |
| 1979 | #1,928 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 1978 | #2,178 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 1977 | #1,890 | 27 | 0.0016% |
| 1976 | #1,490 | 37 | 0.0024% |
| 1975 | #2,182 | 21 | 0.0013% |
| 1974 | #1,681 | 29 | 0.0018% |
| 1973 | #1,535 | 32 | 0.0021% |
| 1972 | #1,910 | 23 | 0.0014% |
| 1971 | #1,699 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 1970 | #1,601 | 29 | 0.0016% |
| 1969 | #1,409 | 33 | 0.0018% |
| 1968 | #1,632 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 1967 | #1,333 | 33 | 0.0019% |
| 1966 | #1,175 | 41 | 0.0023% |
| 1965 | #1,373 | 32 | 0.0017% |
| 1964 | #1,531 | 27 | 0.0014% |
| 1963 | #1,269 | 38 | 0.0019% |
| 1962 | #1,417 | 31 | 0.0015% |
| 1961 | #1,167 | 46 | 0.0022% |
| 1960 | #1,288 | 38 | 0.0018% |
| 1959 | #1,190 | 43 | 0.0020% |
| 1958 | #1,201 | 42 | 0.0020% |
| 1957 | #1,195 | 43 | 0.0020% |
| 1956 | #1,065 | 51 | 0.0024% |
| 1955 | #1,021 | 55 | 0.0027% |
| 1954 | #1,260 | 36 | 0.0018% |
| 1953 | #1,052 | 48 | 0.0024% |
| 1952 | #1,076 | 46 | 0.0024% |
| 1951 | #1,079 | 45 | 0.0024% |
| 1950 | #1,058 | 45 | 0.0025% |
| 1949 | #1,107 | 41 | 0.0023% |
| 1948 | #1,211 | 36 | 0.0021% |
| 1947 | #1,226 | 36 | 0.0020% |
| 1946 | #1,010 | 46 | 0.0028% |
| 1945 | #1,320 | 26 | 0.0019% |
| 1944 | #1,130 | 35 | 0.0026% |
| 1943 | #1,151 | 36 | 0.0025% |
| 1942 | #1,186 | 35 | 0.0025% |
| 1941 | #1,436 | 23 | 0.0019% |
| 1940 | #1,123 | 35 | 0.0030% |
| 1939 | #1,187 | 31 | 0.0028% |
| 1938 | #1,269 | 28 | 0.0025% |
| 1937 | #1,051 | 38 | 0.0036% |
| 1936 | #1,218 | 30 | 0.0029% |
| 1935 | #1,345 | 26 | 0.0025% |
| 1934 | #1,185 | 32 | 0.0031% |
| 1933 | #1,026 | 40 | 0.0040% |
| 1932 | #1,454 | 24 | 0.0023% |
| 1931 | #1,045 | 42 | 0.0040% |
| 1930 | #1,451 | 26 | 0.0024% |
| 1929 | #1,437 | 26 | 0.0024% |
| 1928 | #1,288 | 32 | 0.0029% |
| 1927 | #973 | 52 | 0.0046% |
| 1926 | #1,154 | 39 | 0.0035% |
| 1925 | #1,006 | 47 | 0.0042% |
| 1924 | #1,200 | 37 | 0.0033% |
| 1923 | #1,170 | 38 | 0.0035% |
| 1922 | #1,174 | 38 | 0.0035% |
| 1921 | #1,056 | 45 | 0.0041% |
| 1920 | #1,061 | 44 | 0.0041% |
| 1919 | #1,223 | 34 | 0.0035% |
| 1918 | #813 | 65 | 0.0064% |
| 1917 | #952 | 46 | 0.0050% |
| 1916 | #818 | 58 | 0.0065% |
| 1915 | #821 | 56 | 0.0066% |
| 1914 | #791 | 45 | 0.0069% |
| 1913 | #753 | 39 | 0.0076% |
| 1912 | #814 | 30 | 0.0070% |
| 1911 | #784 | 18 | 0.0080% |
| 1910 | #1,024 | 11 | 0.0057% |
| 1909 | #938 | 11 | 0.0067% |
| 1908 | #769 | 13 | 0.0084% |
| 1907 | #655 | 16 | 0.0109% |
| 1906 | #790 | 11 | 0.0083% |
| 1905 | #657 | 14 | 0.0106% |
| 1904 | #1,034 | 7 | 0.0055% |
| 1903 | #826 | 9 | 0.0075% |
| 1902 | #607 | 14 | 0.0114% |
| 1901 | #832 | 8 | 0.0075% |
| 1900 | #1,021 | 8 | 0.0053% |
| 1899 | #541 | 14 | 0.0132% |
| 1898 | #481 | 19 | 0.0155% |
| 1897 | #576 | 14 | 0.0124% |
| 1896 | #434 | 21 | 0.0176% |
| 1895 | #449 | 20 | 0.0170% |
| 1894 | #432 | 20 | 0.0173% |
| 1893 | #310 | 32 | 0.0285% |
| 1892 | #455 | 19 | 0.0156% |
| 1891 | #425 | 18 | 0.0178% |
| 1890 | #503 | 15 | 0.0135% |
| 1889 | #456 | 17 | 0.0154% |
| 1888 | #323 | 32 | 0.0265% |
| 1887 | #385 | 19 | 0.0187% |
| 1886 | #485 | 15 | 0.0135% |
| 1885 | #407 | 20 | 0.0186% |
| 1884 | #309 | 32 | 0.0280% |
| 1883 | #410 | 19 | 0.0182% |
| 1882 | #353 | 26 | 0.0229% |
| 1881 | #407 | 18 | 0.0179% |
| 1880 | #553 | 12 | 0.0109% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Nels Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have a vivid imagination who can bring inspired messages to the world. You like to enjoy the pleasures of life, and when self is overcome, you can rise to the heights. You have an ability to avoid trouble - that is why you often fails to learn from experiences. You are restless, sociable people-oriented, a lover of change, and a seeker of adventure and new thrills. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
You are seeking freedom, opportunities to enjoy life: to make love, to go places and to do things. You are very adventurous and willing to take risk to achieve your objectives. New ways and new experiences can't satisfy your restless nature. One adventure leads you to another. You are honest and fair, because you know that this is the only way to receive justice and honesty from other people. But your personal growth is vital for you, and it is difficult to be tied down by rules and obligations. Your restless spirit might best controlled by choosing the field of work that meet your demand for action and adventure.
✦ Nels's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Nels's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.