Total births
39
Girls' name · since 1954
Nelsa
Nelsa has 39 recorded births since 1954 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1954 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 39
- total births
- 1954–1999
- years on record
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 44%
- born in that decade
Nelsa is not among the current top-ranked girls names; 39 have been recorded since 1954.
Social Security Administration records show Nelsa recorded 39 times among girls since 1954, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1950s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1954 to 1999.
- 39 total births
- 1954–1999 years on record
- 1950s peak decade
- 44% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
39 girls have been named Nelsa since 1954, peaking in the 1950s, last recorded in 1999.
- 39
- total births
- 1954–1999
- years on record
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 44%
- born in that decade
1950s
Peak decade
44% of everyone ever named Nelsa was born in this single decade.
1954
Single peak year
9 babies were named Nelsa in 1954 - its busiest year on record.
Nelsa's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Nelsa's SSA record in two at 1968 and the more recent half accounts for 44% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 56%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1964, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1954 peak of 9, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Nelsa at a glance
Last recorded 1999Peak year
1954
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1954
Nelsa popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1954–1999
- Peak year (1954)
- 9
- Annual births at peak, across 46 years of records
Nelsa by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Nelsa's strongest decade.
17 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 44% of all-time use.
Nelsa births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s
1950s
17 births
- 1960s
1960s
10 births
- 1970s
1970s
7 births
- 1990s 5
1990s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 17 births (44% of all-time use).
Nelsa by state
Where Nelsa concentrates geographically, total births since 1954
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 6 | 15.4% |
New York share of Nelsa's total US births 15.4%
6 of 39 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Nelsa? ▼
39 babies have been named Nelsa since 1954. It was last recorded in 1999. The peak year was 1954 with 9 births.
When was Nelsa most popular? ▼
Nelsa was most popular in the 1950s decade with 17 total births. The single peak year was 1954.
Where is Nelsa most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Nelsa are New York (6 births).
How long has the name Nelsa been used? ▼
Records for Nelsa go back to 1954, giving 46 years of history through 1999.
What names are similar to Nelsa? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Nellie, Nell, Nelda, Nelly, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Nelsa's data
- Nelsa's decade-level peak was the 1950s (17 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 1990s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Nelsas (6 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Nelsa
Nearby Names Like Nelsa
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Nelsa
Nellie Girl
#521 152,691 births
Nell Girl
#1457 27,612 births
Nelda Girl
#8966 20,139 births
Nelly Girl
#1360 7,792 births
Nelle Girl
#5022 5,794 births
Compare Nelsa side by side: Nelsa vs Nellie Nelsa vs Nell Nelsa vs Nelda
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of July 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1954–1999 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Nelsa: Baby Name Since 1954 - 39 Births, Peak 1954." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/nelsa. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Nelsa draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of July 2026.