Total births
1,809
Girls' name · since 1946
Nilsa
Nilsa has 1,809 recorded births since 1946 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1960 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #11254
- among girls today
- 1,809
- born since 1946
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 37%
- more common than other girls
Nilsa currently ranks #11254 among girls' names in America, with 1,809 babies recorded since 1946.
Social Security Administration records show Nilsa recorded 1,809 times among girls since 1946, holding rank #11254 nationally today, ahead of 37% of girls, peaking in the 1960s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1946 to 2025.
- #11254 among girls today
- 1,809 born since 1946
- 1960s peak decade
- 37% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Nilsa is currently the #11254 girls' name in America, more common than 37% of girls - 1,809 born since 1946, peaking in the 1960s.
- #11254
- among girls today
- 1,809
- born since 1946
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 37%
- more common than other girls
Nilsa vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#11254
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 37% of names given to girls today.
1960s
Peak decade
33% of everyone ever named Nilsa was born in this single decade.
1960
Single peak year
76 babies were named Nilsa in 1960 - its busiest year on record.
How Nilsa compares
1,809 Top 23% higher than 77% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls 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
Nilsa's all-time total is 5x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Nilsa | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,809 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 76 | 48 | 19,840 |
Nilsa's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Nilsa's SSA record in two at 1981 and the more recent half accounts for 21% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 79%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1946, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1960 peak of 76, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Nilsa at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1960
Current rank
#11,254
Active since
1946
Nilsa popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1946–2025
- Peak year (1960)
- 76
- Annual births at peak, across 80 years of records
Nilsa by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Nilsa's strongest decade.
606 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 33% of all-time use.
Nilsa births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1940s 22
1940s
22 births
- 1950s
1950s
419 births
- 1960s
1960s
606 births
- 1970s
1970s
349 births
- 1980s 184
1980s
184 births
- 1990s 103
1990s
103 births
- 2000s 63
2000s
63 births
- 2010s 25
2010s
25 births
- 2020s 38
2020s
38 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 606 births (33% of all-time use).
How Nilsa 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 Nilsa's total volume
Nilsa vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Nilsa by state
Where Nilsa concentrates geographically, total births since 1946
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 977 | 54.0% |
| #2 | New Jersey | | 88 | 4.9% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 56 | 3.1% |
| #4 | Connecticut | | 5 | 0.3% |
| #5 | Florida | | 5 | 0.3% |
| #6 | Massachusetts | | 5 | 0.3% |
| #7 | Ohio | | 5 | 0.3% |
| #8 | Pennsylvania | | 5 | 0.3% |
New York share of Nilsa's total US births 54.0%
Even split
977 of 1,809 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 8 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Nilsa? ▼
1,809 babies have been named Nilsa since 1946. It currently ranks #11254 among girls. The peak year was 1960 with 76 births.
When was Nilsa most popular? ▼
Nilsa was most popular in the 1960s decade with 606 total births. The single peak year was 1960.
Where is Nilsa most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Nilsa are New York (977 births), New Jersey (88 births), Illinois (56 births).
How long has the name Nilsa been used? ▼
Records for Nilsa go back to 1946, giving 80 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Nilsa? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Nila, Nilda, Nilah, Nile, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Nilsa's data
- Nilsa's decade-level peak was the 1960s (606 total births); usage has since declined to 38 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Nilsas (977 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 Nilsa
Nearby Names Like Nilsa
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Nilsa
Nila Girl
#1676 7,136 births
Nilda Girl
3,244 births
Nilah Girl
#4578 1,420 births
Nile Girl
#9734 370 births
Nili Girl
#6238 266 births
Compare Nilsa side by side: Nilsa vs Nila Nilsa vs Nilda Nilsa vs Nilah
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Nilsa
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, 1946–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Nilsa: #11254 Girls' Name - 1,809 Births, Peak 1960." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/nilsa. 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 Nilsa 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.