Girls' name · since 1889
Nelva
Nelva has 1,139 recorded births since 1889 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1935 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #6,853 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 1,139
- born since 1889
- 1930s
- peak decade
Nelva is not among the current top-ranked girls names; 1,139 have been recorded since 1889.
Social Security Administration records show Nelva recorded 1,139 times among girls since 1889, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1930s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1889 to 1976.
- #6,853 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 1,139 born since 1889
- 1930s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Nelva ranks #6,853 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 1,139 born since 1889, peaking in the 1930s.
- #6,853 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 1,139
- born since 1889
- 1930s
- peak decade
Nelva's 1,139 recorded births place it above 90.52% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 4 jurisdictions, led by Texas.
Nelva's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Nelva splits its recorded history at 1939: 40% of all births land in the more recent half, 60% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1889 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1935 peak of 44 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Nelva popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1889–1976
- Peak year (1935)
- 44
- Annual births at peak, across 88 years of records
Nelva by decade
1930s is the heaviest window (328 births, 29% of the file).
1930s was Nelva's strongest decade.
328 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 29% of all-time use.
Nelva births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 5
1880s
5 births
- 1900s 16
1900s
16 births
- 1910s
1910s
133 births
- 1920s
1920s
234 births
- 1930s
1930s
328 births
- 1940s
1940s
217 births
- 1950s
1950s
132 births
- 1960s 61
1960s
61 births
- 1970s 13
1970s
13 births
What this shows Peak: 1930s at 328 births (29% of all-time use).
How Nelva compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Nelva's total volume
Nelva by state
Where Nelva concentrates geographically, total births since 1889
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 152 | 13.3% |
| #2 | Kentucky | | 11 | 1.0% |
| #3 | Louisiana | | 10 | 0.9% |
| #4 | Oklahoma | | 5 | 0.4% |
152 of 1,139 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 4 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Nelva's data
- Nelva's decade-level peak was the 1930s (328 total births); usage has since declined to 13 in the 1970s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Nelvas (152 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Nelva
Nearby Names Like Nelva
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Nelva
Compare Nelva side by side: Nelva vs Nellie Nelva vs Nell Nelva vs Nelda
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Nelva: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1935)
Similar record span (~87 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, 1889–1976 (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 Nelva 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.