Nelson
Below 5 births
2025 SSA
About Nelson
Nelson is a rather stiff and dated surname name that is sometimes used to honor distinguished South African activist Nelson Mandela, as Celine Dion did for one of her twin boys. Other notable associations are with the British Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson, New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller, novelist Nelson Algren and movie operetta star Nelson Eddy. It was also the given name of "Rabbit" Angstrom, protagonist of John Updike's series of novels.
Nelson for boys#825 US
Nelson's highest popularity was in the 1930s and forties, when it was in the Top 200.
Nelson for girls
Nelson on a boy is a steady, somewhat formal classic. On a girl, it's fresher, less expected, and could be shortened to Nell or Nellie.
Pronounced NEL-sun.
As of October 2026, Nelson ranked #825 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #136 in 1882.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank · boys | Births · boys | US rank · girls | Births · girls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #645 | 409 | — | 0 |
| 2015 | #627 | 426 | — | 0 |
| 2016 | #621 | 431 | — | 0 |
| 2017 | #631 | 411 | — | 0 |
| 2018 | #672 | 374 | — | 0 |
| 2019 | #655 | 406 | — | 0 |
| 2020 | #670 | 388 | — | 0 |
| 2021 | #722 | 358 | — | 0 |
| 2022 | #799 | 315 | — | 0 |
| 2023 | #797 | 311 | — | 0 |
| 2024 | #778 | 322 | — | 0 |
| 2025 | #825 | 300 | — | 0 |
World rankings
Nelson for boys
Similar names
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Nelson on lists
Famous Nelsons
- Nelson Rolihlahla MandelaBoy
1st President of South Africa
- Nelson Aldrich RockefellerBoy
41st Vice President of the United States
- Nelson PiquetBoy
Brazilian racing driver
- Nelson Angelo PiquetBoy
Brazilian racing driver
- Nelson Wilmarch AldrichBoy
U.S. Senator from Rhode Island
- Nelson Antonio Haedo ValdezBoy
Paraguayan footballer
- Nelson AlgrenBoy
American novelist
- Nelson AscencioBoy
American actor/comedian
- Nelson S. BondBoy
American writer
- Nelson DawsonBoy
English artist
- Nelson DeCastroBoy
American comic book artist
- Nelson Richard DeMilleBoy
American author
- Nelson Ackerman EddyBoy
American singer
- Nelson FreireBoy
Brazilian pianist
- Nelson GeorgeBoy
American writer/filmmaker
- Nelson IllingworthBoy
Australian sculptor
- Nelson NedBoy
Brazilian singer
- Nelson Doubleday Jr.Boy
American businessman
- Nelson GoodmanBoy
American philosopher
- Nelson FranklinBoy
American actor
- Nelson Bunker HuntBoy
American businessman
- Nelson A. MilesBoy
American soldier
- Nelson PoynterBoy
American newspaper publisher
- Nelson Smock RiddleBoy
American bandleader
- Nelson RodriguesBoy
Brazilian playwright
- Nelson BrilesBoy
American baseball pitcher
- Nelson CarmichaelBoy
American skier
- Nelson PeltzBoy
American businessman and father of actress Nicola Peltz
- Nelson OduberBoy
prime minister of Aruba
- Nelson DeweyBoy
American politician
- Baby Face Nelson (original name Lester Joseph Gillis)Boy
diminutive American gangster
- Horatio Nelson (Lord Nelson)Boy
British admiral
- Prince Rogers NelsonBoy
American musician
- Nelson Angelil (b. 2010)Boy
son of French Canadian singer Celine Dion
- Nelson Cabral SemedoBoy
Portuguese professional footballer
Nelson in pop culture
- Nelson Van AldenBoy
character on TV's "Boardwalk Empire"
- Nelson Biederman IVBoy
character in film "Let's Go to Prison"
- NelsonBoy
from the movie "Flatliners"
- Nelson MinklerBoy
from TV series "Even Stevens"
- Nelson TibideauxBoy
from TV series "The Cosby Show"
- Nelson MuntzBoy
bully that says "Ha,ha!" in "The Simpsons"
- NelsonBoy
DJ's wealthy boyfriend on Full House
- Ferdinand "Foggy" NelsonBoy
character in Marvel's "Daredevil"
- Nelson RoseBoy
female character on TV's "SMILF"
- NelsonBoy
city in New Zealand