Boys' name · since 1893
Niels
Niels has 1,462 recorded births since 1893 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1957 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #4,021 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #5,882 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 1,462
- born since 1893
- 1950s
- peak decade
1,462 babies have been named Niels since 1893, making it today's #5882 boys' name.
Social Security Administration records show Niels recorded 1,462 times among boys since 1893, holding rank #5882 nationally today, ahead of 58% of boys, 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 1893 to 2025.
- #4,021 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- #5,882 of 13,930 2025 SSA year
- 1,462 born since 1893
- 1950s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Niels ranks #4,021 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first) and #5,882 of 13,930 among boys' names in 2025. 1,462 born since 1893, peaking in the 1950s.
- #4,021 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #5,882 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 1,462
- born since 1893
- 1950s
- peak decade
Niels's 1,462 recorded births place it above 91.15% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 3 jurisdictions, led by California.
How Niels compares
1,462 Top 26% higher than 74% of 13,930 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Niels's all-time total is 4x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Niels | Median boys name (Takari) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,462 | 369 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 31 | 34 | 22,252 |
Niels's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Niels's SSA record in two at 1968 and the more recent half accounts for 54% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 46%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1893, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1957 peak of 31, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Niels popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1893–2025
- Peak year (1957)
- 31
- Annual births at peak, across 133 years of records
Niels by decade
1950s is the heaviest window (180 births, 12% of the file).
1950s was Niels's strongest decade.
180 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 12% of all-time use.
Niels births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s 5
1890s
5 births
- 1900s 5
1900s
5 births
- 1910s
1910s
79 births
- 1920s
1920s
110 births
- 1930s
1930s
86 births
- 1940s
1940s
92 births
- 1950s
1950s
180 births
- 1960s
1960s
156 births
- 1970s
1970s
138 births
- 1980s
1980s
128 births
- 1990s
1990s
132 births
- 2000s
2000s
124 births
- 2010s
2010s
151 births
- 2020s
2020s
76 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 180 births (12% of all-time use).
How Niels compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Niels's total volume
Niels by state
Where Niels concentrates geographically, total births since 1893
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 67 | 4.6% |
| #2 | New York | | 18 | 1.2% |
| #3 | Utah | | 5 | 0.3% |
67 of 1,462 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 3 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Niels's data
- Niels's usage has stayed within range of its 1950s decade-level peak (180 total births) through the 2020s (76) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Nielss (67 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Niels
Nearby Names Like Niels
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Niels
Compare Niels side by side: Niels vs Niel Niels vs Nieves Niels vs Nieko
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Niels
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Niels: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1957)
Similar record span (~132 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, 1893–2025 (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 Niels 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.