Total births
3,083
Boys' name · since 1888
Nils
3,083 babies named Nils in U.S. Social Security records since 1888, with the highest year being 1970. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #4895
- among boys today
- 3,083
- born since 1888
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 66%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Nils is the #4895 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 3,083 recorded since 1888.
Nils has 3,083 recorded births among boys since 1888, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #4895 as of the latest data, more common than 66% of boys, busiest in the 1960s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1888 to 2025.
- #4895 among boys today
- 3,083 born since 1888
- 1960s peak decade
- 66% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Nils is currently the #4895 boys' name in America, more common than 66% of boys - 3,083 born since 1888, peaking in the 1960s.
- #4895
- among boys today
- 3,083
- born since 1888
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 66%
- more common than other boys
Nils vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#4895
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 66% of names given to boys today.
1960s
Peak decade
11% of everyone ever named Nils was born in this single decade.
1970
Single peak year
48 babies were named Nils in 1970 - its busiest year on record.
How Nils compares
3,083 Top 16% higher than 84% of 14,294 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
Nils's all-time total is 8x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Nils | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 3,083 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 48 | 23 | 22,252 |
Nils's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Nils's SSA record in two at 1968 and the more recent half accounts for 51% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 49%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1907, with only 6 births recorded -- set against the 1970 peak of 48, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Nils at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1970
Current rank
#4,895
Active since
1888
Nils popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1888–2025
- Peak year (1970)
- 48
- Annual births at peak, across 138 years of records
Nils by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Nils's strongest decade.
353 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 11% of all-time use.
Nils births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 7
1880s
7 births
- 1900s 6
1900s
6 births
- 1910s
1910s
143 births
- 1920s
1920s
195 births
- 1930s
1930s
286 births
- 1940s
1940s
272 births
- 1950s
1950s
315 births
- 1960s
1960s
353 births
- 1970s
1970s
310 births
- 1980s
1980s
276 births
- 1990s
1990s
316 births
- 2000s
2000s
265 births
- 2010s
2010s
226 births
- 2020s 113
2020s
113 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 353 births (11% of all-time use).
How Nils 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 Nils's total volume
Nils vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Nils by state
Where Nils concentrates geographically, total births since 1888
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 264 | 8.6% |
| #2 | California | | 221 | 7.2% |
| #3 | Massachusetts | | 26 | 0.8% |
| #4 | Minnesota | | 24 | 0.8% |
| #5 | New Jersey | | 20 | 0.6% |
| #6 | Washington | | 17 | 0.6% |
| #7 | Illinois | | 5 | 0.2% |
| #8 | Michigan | | 5 | 0.2% |
New York share of Nils's total US births 8.6%
Even split
264 of 3,083 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 8 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Nils? ▼
3,083 babies have been named Nils since 1888. It currently ranks #4895 among boys. The peak year was 1970 with 48 births.
When was Nils most popular? ▼
Nils was most popular in the 1960s decade with 353 total births. The single peak year was 1970.
Where is Nils most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Nils are New York (264 births), California (221 births), Massachusetts (26 births).
How long has the name Nils been used? ▼
Nils has been recorded in Social Security data since 1888, spanning 138 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Nils? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Niles, Nile, Nilan, Nilo, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Nils's data
- Nils's decade-level peak was the 1960s (353 total births); usage has since declined to 113 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Nilss (264 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 Nils
Nearby Names Like Nils
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Nils
Niles Boy
#3107 4,455 births
Nile Boy
#1941 3,696 births
Nilan Boy
#2993 461 births
Nilo Boy
#3622 404 births
Nilson Boy
#6302 356 births
Compare Nils side by side: Nils vs Niles Nils vs Nile Nils vs Nilan
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Nils
Data Sources
Data as of June 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, 1888–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Nils: #4895 Boys' Name - 3,083 Births, Peak 1970." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/nils. 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 Nils 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 June 2026.