Given name & surname
Nilson
“the son of Neil; the son of a champion”
Nilson is a variant of Nelson. One English interpretation is “the son of Neil; the son of a champion.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Nilson is a variant of Nelson. One English interpretation is “the son of Neil; the son of a champion.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Nilson is a variant of Nelson. An origin associated with Nelson is English.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1982. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Nilson is a variant of Nelson. The history of Nelson gives this family its wider story. Nelson’s naming history includes the use of a family name as a given name.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Nilson through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 356
- 356 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2007
- 17 babies
- 2025
- 11
- #7,536 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −32%
- Easing
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 11 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 7,536 among boys’ names. The recent annual counts are too incomplete to establish a ten-year comparison. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,128 as a first name in 2020; 4,041 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.
Nilson’s family of names
Nilson has a related form in Nelson. In Greek usage, Nilson as a surname is a transliteration of Νήλσον. In Greek usage, Nilson as a surname is a transliteration of Νίλσον.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 2
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 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Nilson
- Nilson AnguloEcuadorian footballerborn 2003
- NilsonBrazilian association football playerborn 1989
- Nilson LoyolaPeruvian association footballerborn 1994
- Nilson AndréBrazilian sprinterborn 1986
- NilsonBrazilian footballerborn 1975
- Nilson CastrillónColombian soccer playerborn 1996
- Nilson MattaBrazilian jazz bassist and educatorborn 1949
- Nilson CortesColombian footballerborn 1977
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Nilson, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.