Nelle
Girl name · #4267 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Nelle? In official American birth records, Nelle has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Nelle is currently the #4267 girl name in the United States — 33 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #6721, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 54,545 girls born in 2025 was named Nelle.
The 145-year story
Nelle first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 65 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1917, when 169 girls were named Nelle — good for #510 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.
Babies named Nelle per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Nelle against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Nelle in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Nelle is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Nelle will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Nelle is most common
State-level data for Nelle is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Nelle
Statistically, parents drawn to Nelle tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Maybelle, Clarabelle, Louie, Fae, and Elvie.
MaybelleClarabelleLouieFaeElvieLucileArlieVella
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Nelle | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 33 | #4265 |
| 2024 | 26 | #5021 |
| 2023 | 34 | #4191 |
| 2022 | 26 | #5028 |
| 2021 | 29 | #4607 |
| 2020 | 37 | #3841 |
| 2019 | 32 | #4343 |
| 2018 | 28 | #4768 |
| 2017 | 15 | #7442 |
| 2016 | 17 | #6901 |
| 2015 | 18 | #6721 |
| 2014 | 10 | #10129 |
| 2013 | 7 | #13150 |
| 2012 | 12 | #9109 |
| 2011 | 5 | #16764 |
| 2010 | 7 | #13448 |
| 2009 | 7 | #13704 |
| 2008 | 7 | #13832 |
| 2006 | 8 | #12420 |
| 2005 | 6 | #14502 |
| 2001 | 7 | #12056 |
| 1986 | 7 | #8523 |
| 1985 | 5 | #10677 |
| 1982 | 5 | #10517 |
| 1980 | 5 | #10392 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Nelle?
In official American birth records, the name Nelle first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 65 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Nelle a popular girl name?
Nelle ranked #4267 among girls in 2025 with 33 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #6721.
When was the name Nelle most popular?
Nelle peaked in 1917, when 169 American girls received the name (ranked #510 that year). Since 1917 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Nelle?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 54,545 newborn American girls was named Nelle. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.