Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1970

Nils

Gender Boy Rank 2025 #4,993 Trend → Stable
Rank 2025
#4,993
among boys · ↑8 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
20
named Nils
How common
1 in 85,404
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1970
48 babies
All-time total
3,083
#2,489 all-time among boys
First recorded
1888
in Social Security records

Nils popularity over time

3,083 babies have been named Nils since 1888, 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
0.020.040.060.0818801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1888Boys

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 Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s 7 1 – #889
1890s – – – –
1900s 6 1 – #1,293
1910s 143 14 +2283% #1,440
1920s 195 20 +36% #1,287
1930s 286 29 +47% #1,036
1940s 272 27 -5% #1,188
1950s 315 32 +16% #1,163
1960s 353 35 +12% #1,122
1970s 310 31 -12% #1,202
1980s 276 28 -11% #1,584
1990s 316 32 +14% #2,071
2000s 265 27 -16% #2,514
2010s 226 23 -15% #3,510
2020s (to 2025) 113 19 -17% #4,428

Where Nils is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (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 boys Implied rank
2026 20 0.01 outside top 500
2027 20 0.01 outside top 500
2028 20 0.01 outside top 500
2029 20 0.01 outside top 500
2030 20 0.01 outside top 500

The story of Nils

Nils is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #4,993 in 2025 with 20 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.

Since 1888, 3,083 American babies have been named Nils. Its peak came in 1970, when 48 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1970s.

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 Nils stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Nils?

The median living Nils is about 42 years old; half are between 24 and 61. An estimated 2,200 people named Nils are alive in the United States today.

median 42 020406080100

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

Nils year by year

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

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 20 #4,993
2024 20 #5,001
2023 24 #4,428
2022 15 #6,064
2021 14 #6,244
2020 20 #4,812
2019 20 #4,922
2018 25 #4,186
2017 18 #5,243
2016 21 #4,723
2015 20 #4,841
2014 22 #4,490
2013 25 #4,031
2012 26 #3,974
2011 18 #5,136
2010 31 #3,510
2009 23 #4,389
2008 24 #4,227
2007 23 #4,325
2006 31 #3,433
2005 25 #3,788
2004 18 #4,727
2003 23 #3,812
2002 30 #3,066
2001 39 #2,514
2000 29 #3,052
1995 26 #2,821
1990 36 #2,071
1985 32 #1,858
1980 38 #1,584
1975 30 #1,691
1970 48 #1,202
1965 31 #1,400
1960 30 #1,475
1955 34 #1,307
1950 35 #1,229
1945 23 #1,401
1940 28 #1,283
1935 27 #1,319
1930 25 #1,488
1925 17 #1,988
1920 18 #1,940
1915 23 #1,440
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Nils

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Nils Lofgren Nils Lofgren American rock musician (born 1951) Contemporary
  2. 2 Nils Torvalds Nils Torvalds Finnish politician (born 1945) Contemporary
  3. 3 Nils Liedholm Nils Liedholm Swedish footballer and manager (1922–2007) Contemporary
  4. 4 Nils Asther Nils Asther Swedish actor (1897–1981) 19th century
  5. 5 Nils von Kantzow Nils von Kantzow Swedish gymnast 1885–1967 · 19th century
  6. 6 Nils Politt Nils Politt German cyclist (born 1994) Contemporary
  7. 7 Nils Petter Molvær Nils Petter Molvær Norwegian trumpeter, composer, and record producer (born 1960) Contemporary
  8. 8 Nils Arne Eggen Nils Arne Eggen Norwegian footballer and manager (1941–2022) Contemporary
  9. 9 Nils Ušakovs Nils Ušakovs Latvian politician and journalist b. 1976 · Contemporary
  10. 10 Nils Gaup Nils Gaup Sámi film director b. 1955 · Contemporary
  11. 11 Nils Christie Nils Christie Norwegian sociologist and criminologist (1928–2015) Contemporary
  12. 12 Nils Edén Nils Edén Swedish politician (1871–1945) 19th century
  13. 13 Nils Middelboe Nils Middelboe Danish footballer and referee (1887–1976) 19th century
  14. 14 Nils Schumann Nils Schumann German middle-distance runner b. 1978 · Contemporary
  15. 15 Nils Karlsson Nils Karlsson Swedish cross-country skier (1917–2012) Contemporary
  16. 16 Nils Gabriel Sefström Nils Gabriel Sefström Swedish chemist (1787-1845) 18th century
  17. 17 Nils Eriksen Nils Eriksen Norwegian footballer (1911-1975) Contemporary
  18. 18 Nils Jönsson Swedish nobleman 1390–1450 · Medieval
  19. 19 Nils Johan Andersson Nils Johan Andersson Swedish botanist and traveller 1821–1880 · 19th century
  20. 20 Nils Rosén Nils Rosén Swedish footballer 1902–1951 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Nils?

The median living Nils is about 42 years old. Half of all living Nilss are between 24 and 61 years old.

How many people named Nils are alive today?

An estimated 2,200 people named Nils are alive in the United States, based on 3,083 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Nils in 2025?

Nils ranked #4,993 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 20 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Nils?

3,083 babies have been named Nils in the United States since 1888, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Nils most popular?

Nils peaked in 1970, when 48 newborns received the name.

Is Nils a boy or girl name?

Nils is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Nils rising or falling?

Nils has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Will Nils become more popular?

Nils looks stable. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 20 boys named Nils in 2030, ranking outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Nils?

Well-known people named Nils include Nils Lofgren (musician), Nils Torvalds (politician), Nils Liedholm (soccer player).

Names like Nils

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

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