Boys' name · since 1913
Nelse
28 babies named Nelse in U.S. Social Security records since 1913, with the highest year being 1913. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #26,465 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 28
- born since 1913
- 1920s
- peak decade
28 boys have been named Nelse since 1913, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Nelse has been recorded 28 times among boys since 1913, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1913 to 1953.
- #26,465 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 28 born since 1913
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Nelse ranks #26,465 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 28 born since 1913, peaking in the 1920s.
- #26,465 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 28
- born since 1913
- 1920s
- peak decade
Nelse's 28 recorded births place it above 41.62% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.
Nelse's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Nelse's SSA record in two at 1924 and the more recent half accounts for 57% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 43%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1930, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1913 peak of 6, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Nelse popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1913–1953
- Peak year (1913)
- 6
- Annual births at peak, across 41 years of records
Nelse by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (12 births, 43% of the file).
1920s was Nelse's strongest decade.
12 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 43% of all-time use.
Nelse births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s
1910s
6 births
- 1920s
1920s
12 births
- 1930s
1930s
5 births
- 1950s
1950s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 12 births (43% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Nelse's data
- Nelse's usage has stayed within range of its 1920s decade-level peak (12 total births) through the 1950s (5) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Nelse
Nearby Names Like Nelse
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Nelse
Compare Nelse side by side: Nelse vs Nelson Nelse vs Nels Nelse vs Nello
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Nelse: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1913)
Similar record span (~40 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1913–1953 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Nelse 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 August 2026.