Nell
Girl name · #1622 in 2025 · Uniqueness 48/100
Nell is currently the #1622 girl name in the United States — 128 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #2846, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 14,063 girls born in 2025 was named Nell.
Babies named Nell per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Nell first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 77 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1917, when 766 girls were named Nell — good for #220 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Nell against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Nell in class?
Nell scores 48 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Nell is most common
Geography matters for names, and Nell is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Nells were IL (11), NY (11), CA (8), NJ (8), TX (8). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Nell
Statistically, parents drawn to Nell tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Sybil, Fern, Agatha, Iva, and Leora.
SybilFernAgathaIvaLeoraErisIonaOllie
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Nell | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 128 | #1622 |
| 2024 | 150 | #1457 |
| 2023 | 124 | #1669 |
| 2022 | 119 | #1742 |
| 2021 | 96 | #2007 |
| 2020 | 79 | #2257 |
| 2019 | 115 | #1773 |
| 2018 | 72 | #2457 |
| 2017 | 87 | #2184 |
| 2016 | 70 | #2539 |
| 2015 | 61 | #2846 |
| 2014 | 42 | #3652 |
| 2013 | 44 | #3513 |
| 2012 | 32 | #4486 |
| 2011 | 32 | #4466 |
| 2010 | 24 | #5602 |
| 2009 | 30 | #4805 |
| 2008 | 20 | #6559 |
| 2007 | 24 | #5709 |
| 2006 | 30 | #4685 |
| 2005 | 27 | #4828 |
| 2004 | 19 | #6216 |
| 2003 | 23 | #5235 |
| 2002 | 23 | #5086 |
| 2001 | 35 | #3703 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Nell a popular girl name?
Nell ranked #1622 among girls in 2025 with 128 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2846.
When was the name Nell most popular?
Nell peaked in 1917, when 766 American girls received the name (ranked #220 that year). Since 1917 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Nell?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 14,063 newborn American girls was named Nell. It scores 48/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.