Boys' name · since 1982
Nilson
Nilson has 356 recorded births since 1982 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2007 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #9,666 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #7,353 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 356
- born since 1982
- 2000s
- peak decade
356 babies have been named Nilson since 1982, making it today's #7353 boys' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Nilson has been recorded 356 times among boys since 1982, currently ranked #7353 nationally and more common than 47% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2000s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1982 to 2025.
- #9,666 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- #7,353 of 13,930 2025 SSA year
- 356 born since 1982
- 2000s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Nilson ranks #9,666 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first) and #7,353 of 13,930 among boys' names in 2025. 356 born since 1982, peaking in the 2000s.
- #9,666 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #7,353 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 356
- born since 1982
- 2000s
- peak decade
Nilson's 356 recorded births place it above 78.74% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by New York.
How Nilson compares
356 49th percentile among 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
Nilson's all-time total is 4% below the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Nilson | Median boys name (Takari) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 356 | 369 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 17 | 34 | 22,252 |
Nilson's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Nilson splits its recorded history at 2007: 56% of all births land in the more recent half, 44% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1992 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2007 peak of 17 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Nilson popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1982–2025
- Peak year (2007)
- 17
- Annual births at peak, across 44 years of records
Nilson by decade
2000s is the heaviest window (116 births, 33% of the file).
2000s was Nilson's strongest decade.
116 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 33% of all-time use.
Nilson births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1980s 16
1980s
16 births
- 1990s
1990s
68 births
- 2000s
2000s
116 births
- 2010s
2010s
111 births
- 2020s 45
2020s
45 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 116 births (33% of all-time use).
Nilson by state
Where Nilson concentrates geographically, total births since 1982
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 5 | 1.4% |
5 of 356 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Nilson's data
- Nilson's usage has stayed within range of its 2000s decade-level peak (116 total births) through the 2020s (45) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- New York records the most Nilsons (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Nilson
Nearby Names Like Nilson
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Nilson
Compare Nilson side by side: Nilson vs Niles Nilson vs Nile Nilson vs Nils
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Nilson
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Nilson: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~2007)
Similar record span (~43 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, 1982–2025 (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 Nilson 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.