Nels is an uncommon boys' name that peaked in 1918 and has grown less common since.
Nels is a boy name. In 2025 it ranked #4,656 for boy births in the United States (and #9,857 across all names), given to 22 babies. Nels first appears in 1880 and peaked in 1918 (65 births).
| Year | U.S. births | U.S. + territories | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 22 | 22 | #4,656 |
| 2024 | 18 | 18 | #5,380 |
| 2023 | 19 | 19 | #5,193 |
| 2022 | 19 | 19 | #5,163 |
| 2021 | 23 | 23 | #4,454 |
| 2020 | 16 | 16 | #5,625 |
| 2019 | 13 | 13 | #6,674 |
| 2018 | 11 | 11 | #7,470 |
| 2017 | 16 | 16 | #5,709 |
| 2016 | 15 | 15 | #5,974 |
| 2015 | 14 | 14 | #6,212 |
| 2014 | 21 | 21 | #4,653 |
| 2013 | 7 | 7 | #10,407 |
| 2012 | 11 | 11 | #7,394 |
| 2011 | 12 | 12 | #6,878 |
| 2010 | 17 | 17 | #5,407 |
| 2009 | 16 | 16 | #5,735 |
| 2008 | 10 | 10 | #8,111 |
| 2007 | 12 | 12 | #6,958 |
| 2006 | 7 | 7 | #10,337 |
| 2005 | 15 | 15 | #5,494 |
| 2004 | 12 | 12 | #6,403 |
| 2003 | 9 | 9 | #7,659 |
| 2002 | 10 | 10 | #6,903 |
| 2001 | 14 | 14 | #5,319 |
| 2000 | 14 | 14 | #5,242 |
| 1999 | 8 | 8 | #7,657 |
| 1998 | 13 | 13 | #5,097 |
| 1997 | 14 | — | #4,612 |
| 1996 | 19 | — | #3,636 |
| 1995 | 11 | — | #5,405 |
| 1994 | 12 | — | #5,028 |
| 1993 | 18 | — | #3,599 |
| 1992 | 17 | — | #3,701 |
| 1991 | 17 | — | #3,576 |
| 1990 | 23 | — | #2,841 |
| 1989 | 25 | — | #2,589 |
| 1988 | 15 | — | #3,474 |
| 1987 | 22 | — | #2,532 |
| 1986 | 22 | — | #2,481 |
| 1985 | 18 | — | #2,793 |
| 1984 | 27 | — | #2,020 |
| 1983 | 20 | — | #2,472 |
| 1982 | 41 | — | #1,532 |
| 1981 | 31 | — | #1,847 |
| 1980 | 43 | — | #1,464 |
| 1979 | 28 | — | #1,928 |
| 1978 | 22 | — | #2,179 |
| 1977 | 27 | — | #1,888 |
| 1976 | 37 | — | #1,489 |
| 1975 | 21 | — | #2,182 |
| 1974 | 29 | — | #1,681 |
| 1973 | 32 | — | #1,535 |
| 1972 | 23 | — | #1,910 |
| 1971 | 28 | — | #1,698 |
| 1970 | 29 | — | #1,601 |
| 1969 | 33 | — | #1,408 |
| 1968 | 24 | — | #1,632 |
| 1967 | 33 | — | #1,333 |
| 1966 | 41 | — | #1,174 |
| 1965 | 32 | — | #1,373 |
| 1964 | 27 | — | #1,531 |
| 1963 | 38 | — | #1,270 |
| 1962 | 31 | — | #1,416 |
| 1961 | 46 | — | #1,167 |
| 1960 | 38 | — | #1,288 |
| 1959 | 43 | — | #1,190 |
| 1958 | 42 | — | #1,200 |
| 1957 | 43 | — | #1,195 |
| 1956 | 51 | — | #1,065 |
| 1955 | 55 | — | #1,021 |
| 1954 | 36 | — | #1,260 |
| 1953 | 48 | — | #1,052 |
| 1952 | 46 | — | #1,076 |
| 1951 | 45 | — | #1,078 |
| 1950 | 45 | — | #1,058 |
| 1949 | 41 | — | #1,107 |
| 1948 | 36 | — | #1,211 |
| 1947 | 36 | — | #1,226 |
| 1946 | 46 | — | #1,010 |
| 1945 | 26 | — | #1,320 |
| 1944 | 35 | — | #1,130 |
| 1943 | 36 | — | #1,151 |
| 1942 | 35 | — | #1,186 |
| 1941 | 23 | — | #1,436 |
| 1940 | 35 | — | #1,123 |
| 1939 | 31 | — | #1,187 |
| 1938 | 28 | — | #1,269 |
| 1937 | 38 | — | #1,051 |
| 1936 | 30 | — | #1,218 |
| 1935 | 26 | — | #1,345 |
| 1934 | 32 | — | #1,185 |
| 1933 | 40 | — | #1,026 |
| 1932 | 24 | — | #1,454 |
| 1931 | 42 | — | #1,045 |
| 1930 | 26 | — | #1,451 |
| 1929 | 26 | — | #1,437 |
| 1928 | 32 | — | #1,288 |
| 1927 | 52 | — | #973 |
| 1926 | 39 | — | #1,154 |
| 1925 | 47 | — | #1,006 |
| 1924 | 37 | — | #1,200 |
| 1923 | 38 | — | #1,170 |
| 1922 | 38 | — | #1,174 |
| 1921 | 45 | — | #1,056 |
| 1920 | 44 | — | #1,061 |
| 1919 | 34 | — | #1,223 |
| 1918 | 65 | — | #813 |
| 1917 | 46 | — | #952 |
| 1916 | 58 | — | #818 |
| 1915 | 56 | — | #821 |
| 1914 | 45 | — | #791 |
| 1913 | 39 | — | #753 |
| 1912 | 30 | — | #814 |
| 1911 | 18 | — | #784 |
| 1910 | 11 | — | #1,024 |
| 1909 | 11 | — | #938 |
| 1908 | 13 | — | #769 |
| 1907 | 16 | — | #655 |
| 1906 | 11 | — | #790 |
| 1905 | 14 | — | #657 |
| 1904 | 7 | — | #1,034 |
| 1903 | 9 | — | #826 |
| 1902 | 14 | — | #607 |
| 1901 | 8 | — | #832 |
| 1900 | 8 | — | #1,021 |
| 1899 | 14 | — | #541 |
| 1898 | 19 | — | #481 |
| 1897 | 14 | — | #576 |
| 1896 | 21 | — | #434 |
| 1895 | 20 | — | #449 |
| 1894 | 20 | — | #432 |
| 1893 | 32 | — | #310 |
| 1892 | 19 | — | #455 |
| 1891 | 18 | — | #425 |
| 1890 | 15 | — | #503 |
| 1889 | 17 | — | #456 |
| 1888 | 32 | — | #323 |
| 1887 | 19 | — | #385 |
| 1886 | 15 | — | #485 |
| 1885 | 20 | — | #407 |
| 1884 | 32 | — | #309 |
| 1883 | 19 | — | #410 |
| 1882 | 26 | — | #353 |
| 1881 | 18 | — | #407 |
| 1880 | 12 | — | #553 |