Nelli: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

#5,190

among girls · ↑1,146 vs 2024

Babies in 2025

named Nelli

How common

1 in 64,291

girls born in 2025

Peak year

2021

25 babies

All-time total

385

#13,835 all-time among girls

First recorded

1977

in Social Security records

Nelli popularity over time

385 babies have been named Nelli since 1977, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure

Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade	Girls	Per year	Change	Best rank
1880s	–	–	–	–
1890s	–	–	–	–
1900s	–	–	–	–
1910s	–	–	–	–
1920s	–	–	–	–
1930s	–	–	–	–
1940s	–	–	–	–
1950s	–	–	–	–
1960s	–	–	–	–
1970s	10	1	–	#10,724
1980s	–	–	–	–
1990s	16	2	–	#13,634
2000s	106	11	+563%	#7,002
2010s	126	13	+19%	#5,741
2020s (to 2025)	127	21	+68%	#5,190

Where Nelli is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 girls (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year	Projected babies	Per 1,000 girls	Implied rank
2026	26	0.02	outside top 500
2027	27	0.02	outside top 500
2028	27	0.02	outside top 500
2029	28	0.02	outside top 500
2030	28	0.02	outside top 500

The story of Nelli

Nelli is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #5,190 in 2025 with 25 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1977, 385 American babies have been named Nelli. Its peak came in 2021, when 25 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2020s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Nelli stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Nelli?

The median living Nelli is about 11 years old; half are between 4 and 18. An estimated 400 people named Nelli are alive in the United States today.

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Nelli year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year	Girls	Girls rank
2025	25	#5,190
2024	19	#6,336
2023	19	#6,340
2022	20	#6,153
2021	25	#5,198
2020	19	#6,260
2019	22	#5,741
2018	15	#7,657
2017	11	#9,766
2016	7	#13,951
2015	9	#11,591
2014	11	#9,987
2013	13	#8,923
2012	10	#11,035
2011	15	#8,093
2010	13	#9,097
2009	12	#9,820
2008	19	#7,002
2007	14	#8,874
2006	15	#8,131
2005	7	#14,090
2004	7	#13,792
2003	9	#11,072
2002	7	#13,234
2001	10	#9,898
2000	6	#14,492
1995	–	–
1990	–	–
1985	–	–
1980	–	–
1975	–	–
1970	–	–
1965	–	–
1960	–	–
1955	–	–
1950	–	–
1945	–	–
1940	–	–
1935	–	–
1930	–	–
1925	–	–
1920	–	–
1915	–	–
1910	–	–
1905	–	–
1900	–	–
1895	–	–
1890	–	–
1885	–	–
1880	–	–

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Nelli, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Nelli?

The median living Nelli is about 11 years old. Half of all living Nellis are between 4 and 18 years old.

How many people named Nelli are alive today?

An estimated 400 people named Nelli are alive in the United States, based on 385 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Nelli mean?

Spelling variant of Nelly.

How popular is the name Nelli in 2025?

Nelli ranked #5,190 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 25 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Nelli?

385 babies have been named Nelli in the United States since 1977, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Nelli most popular?

Nelli peaked in 2021, when 25 newborns received the name.

Is Nelli a boy or girl name?

Nelli is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Nelli rising or falling?

Nelli is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Will Nelli become more popular?

Nelli is trending upward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 28 girls named Nelli in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Names like Nelli

Names that sound and feel close to Nelli: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Nelli with similar names → More names starting with N →