Nelson
A boys’ name of Old English origin, meaning son of Neil, the champion.
Babies a year
407
the US, 2017
Rarity
Uncommon
among names in use
US popularity
#825
down from #778
UK popularity
#1406
19 babies
How Nelson has moved
View as table
| Year | US rank |
|---|---|
| 2015 | #627 |
| 2016 | #621 |
| 2017 | #631 |
| 2018 | #671 |
| 2019 | #655 |
| 2020 | #670 |
| 2021 | #724 |
| 2022 | #797 |
| 2023 | #797 |
| 2024 | #778 |
| 2025 | #825 |
In 2025, 19 babies in England and Wales were named Nelson. In the US, 407 were, though that figure is from 2017 — the most recent full year we hold. Its US peak was 1,083 in 1959.
Looking further back: between 1880 and 2008, Nelson was most common in 1905, when it went to 0.09% of American babies of that sex. Squarely vintage-revival territory.
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