Given name & surname
Nelson
“the son of Neil; the son of a champion”
Nelson is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “the son of Neil; the son of a champion.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One English interpretation is “the son of Neil; the son of a champion.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
How it developed
It entered given-name use through an existing surname.
The story
Its naming history includes the use of a family name as a given name.
Nelson through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 80,140
- 79,709 boys · 431 girls
- Most popular year
- 1959
- 1,084 babies
- 2025
- 300
- #825 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −20%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 300 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 825 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 20.1% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 1,084 in 1959. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (35). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 78,256 as a first name in 2020; 410,801 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Nelson’s family of names
In English usage, Nelson has a diminutive in Nellie. In English usage, Nelson has a later derivative in NELCI. Nelson has a related form in Nelly.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 19
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Nelson
- Nelson MandelaPresident of South Africa and anti-apartheid activist (1918–2013)
- Nelson RockefellerVice President of the United States from 1974 to 19771908–1979
- Nelson PiquetBrazilian racing driver (born 1952)
- Nelson Piquet Jr.Brazilian racing driver (born 1985)
- Nelson ValdezParaguayan footballerborn 1983
- NelsinhoBrazilian association football playerborn 1962
- Nelson ÉvoraIvory Coast-born Portuguese triple jumperborn 1984
- Nelson AlgrenAmerican novelist, short story writer (1909-1981)
- Nelson GoodmanAmerican philosopher (1906–1998)
Characters named Nelson: Nelson Muntz (The Simpsons franchise).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Nelson, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Curtis
“one who is courteous; polite”
>99% boys
Chauncey
“an office holder; keeper of records” · “having good fortune”
>99% boys
Goddard
“one who is divinely firm”
77% boys · 23% girls
Jefferson
“son of JEFFREY” · “the son of Jeffrey”
>99% boys
Tanner
“one who tans hides” · “one who makes leather”
95% boys · 5% girls
Osborn
“a bear of God”
>99% boys
Lincoln
“lake” · “from the village near the lake”
98% boys · 2% girls
Walker
“walker of the forests” · “one who trods the cloth”
97% boys · 3% girls