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BabyNames
Boy name#361 of boy names

Nelson

Pronounced N EH1 L S AH0 N (ARPABET)

  • 2 syllables
  • Peaked 1959
  • 145 years in use
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How popular is Nelson?

Nelson is a boys' name, and has been in the record since the data starts in 1880. It has been given to 80,821 children — the 361st most common boys' name on record.

It has been slipping, down 30% on the previous decade. Its best single year was 1959, when 1,083 children were given it.

05001,0001,5002,00018901920195019802010
1959Boys: 1,083Girls: 0

Characteristics

  • Alliterative
  • 2 syllables
Phonetic detail
Pronunciations:
N EH1 L S AH0 N
Stress pattern:
10
Syllables:
2

Stress digits mark unstressed (0), primary (1) and secondary (2) syllables.

Names like Nelson

Same first letter and syllable count, peaking around the same time.

Sibling names for Nelson

Names from the same era with a matching rhythm but a different initial.

Frequently asked questions

How popular is the name Nelson?
Nelson ranks 361st among boys' names in US records, with 80,821 births since 1880. Over the past decade it accounts for 3,800.
Is Nelson a unisex name?
No. Nelson is recorded almost entirely as a boys' name; births to the other gender are too few to register as a share.
When was Nelson most popular?
1959, when 1,083 children were given the name. It has been in use for 145 years and is still recorded as of 2024.