Boys' name · since 1987

Nijel

Since 1987, U.S. Social Security records show 338 babies named Nijel, peaking in 2000. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.

#9,943 of 45,481
all-time among boys
338
born since 1987
2000s
peak decade

Nijel sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 338 recorded since 1987.

Social Security Administration records show Nijel recorded 338 times among boys since 1987, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 2000s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1987 to 2022.

  • #9,943 of 45,481 all-time among boys
  • 338 born since 1987
  • 2000s peak decade

Data updated Aug 2026

The verdict

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Nijel ranks #9,943 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 338 born since 1987, peaking in the 2000s.

#9,943 of 45,481
all-time among boys
338
born since 1987
2000s
peak decade
Above the archive median
All-time archive position

Nijel's 338 recorded births place it above 78.12% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.

National only
State-record footprint

No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.

Nijel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Nijel splits its recorded history at 2004: 46% of all births land in the more recent half, 54% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 2017 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2000 peak of 20 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.

Nijel popularity over time

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1987–2022

Last recorded 2022
Peak year (2000)
20
Annual births at peak, across 36 years of records
0510152025 198719921996200020042008201220182022 6

Nijel by decade

2000s is the heaviest window (138 births, 41% of the file).

2000s was Nijel's strongest decade.

138 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 41% of all-time use.

Nijel births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 2000s at 138 births (41% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of August 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Nijel? ▼
Nijel has been given to 338 babies in the U.S. since 1987, according to SSA data. Its archive ordinal is #9,943 of 45,481 among boys' names (total births, highest first). Its last appearance in the data was 2022. 20 babies were born in 2000, its single highest year.
Where does Nijel sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Nijel ranks #9,943 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). All-time ordinal matches browse popularity (total births DESC); the current ordinal uses the null SSA file. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
When was Nijel most popular? ▼
Nijel was most popular in the 2000s decade with 138 total births. The single peak year was 2000.
How long has the name Nijel been used? ▼
Records for Nijel go back to 1987, giving 36 years of history through 2022.
What names are similar to Nijel? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Nijah, Nijee, Nijay, Nijal, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.

What to do with Nijel's data

  • Nijel's decade-level peak was the 2000s (138 total births); usage has since declined to 13 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.

Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.

Keep exploring Nijel

Nearby Names Like Nijel

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Nijel

Nijah Boy
184 births
Nijee Boy
63 births
Nijay Boy
41 births
Nijal Boy
38 births
Nija Boy
19 births

Compare Nijel side by side: Nijel vs Nijah Nijel vs Nijee Nijel vs Nijay

Or pick any two names to compare →

Related Names

Names with a similar number of total births

Linzie
338 births · Peak 1924
Hanford
338 births · Peak 1921
Harrington #8963
338 births · Peak 2018
Secundino
338 births · Peak 1915
Arthuro
338 births · Peak 1980
Autumn #9092
338 births · Peak 2004
Rhen #5294
338 births · Peak 2021
Zuhair #5714
338 births · Peak 2018

Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span

Two nationwide peer axes for Nijel: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.

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, 1987–2022 (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 Nijel 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.