Total births
356
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.
- #6302
- among boys today
- 356
- born since 1982
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 56%
- more common than other boys
356 babies have been named Nilson since 1982, making it today's #6302 boys' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Nilson has been recorded 356 times among boys since 1982, currently ranked #6302 nationally and more common than 56% 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.
- #6302 among boys today
- 356 born since 1982
- 2000s peak decade
- 56% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Nilson is currently the #6302 boys' name in America, more common than 56% of boys - 356 born since 1982, peaking in the 2000s.
- #6302
- among boys today
- 356
- born since 1982
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 56%
- more common than other boys
Nilson vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#6302
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 56% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
33% of everyone ever named Nilson was born in this single decade.
2007
Single peak year
17 babies were named Nilson in 2007 - its busiest year on record.
How Nilson compares
356 49th percentile among 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
Nilson's all-time total is 3% below the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Nilson | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 356 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 17 | 23 | 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 at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2007
Current rank
#6,302
Active since
1982
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
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
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% |
New York share of Nilson's total US births 1.4%
5 of 356 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Nilson? ▼
Nilson has been given to 356 babies in the U.S. since 1982, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #6302 as of the latest data. 17 babies were born in 2007, its single highest year.
When was Nilson most popular? ▼
Nilson was most popular in the 2000s decade with 116 total births. The single peak year was 2007.
Where is Nilson most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Nilson are New York (5 births).
How long has the name Nilson been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Nilson since 1982 -- 44 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Nilson? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Niles, Nile, Nils, Nilan, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
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
- 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 Nilson
Nearby Names Like Nilson
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Nilson
Niles Boy
#3107 4,455 births
Nile Boy
#1941 3,696 births
Nils Boy
#4895 3,083 births
Nilan Boy
#2993 461 births
Nilo Boy
#3622 404 births
Compare Nilson side by side: Nilson vs Niles Nilson vs Nile Nilson vs Nils
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Nilson
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, 1982–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Nilson: #6302 Boys' Name - 356 Births, Peak 2007." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/nilson. 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 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 June 2026.