Nelli
Girl name · #5152 in 2025 · Uniqueness 70/100
In 2025, 25 baby girls were named Nelli, placing it at #5152 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #10866, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 72,000 girls born in 2025 was named Nelli.
The 48-year story
Nelli first appears in the Social Security records in 1977, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2021, when 25 girls were named Nelli — good for #5091 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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 Nelli per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Nelli against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Nelli in class?
Nelli scores 70 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Nelli will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Nelli is most common
State-level data for Nelli is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Nelli
Statistically, parents drawn to Nelli tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Milli, Noeli, Nyeli, Adali, and Nani.
MilliNoeliNyeliAdaliNaniNiomiElliMetzli
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Nelli | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 25 | #5099 |
| 2024 | 19 | #6167 |
| 2023 | 19 | #6169 |
| 2022 | 20 | #5984 |
| 2021 | 25 | #5091 |
| 2020 | 19 | #6083 |
| 2019 | 22 | #5612 |
| 2018 | 15 | #7409 |
| 2017 | 11 | #9341 |
| 2016 | 7 | #12876 |
| 2015 | 9 | #10866 |
| 2014 | 11 | #9517 |
| 2013 | 13 | #8580 |
| 2012 | 10 | #10429 |
| 2011 | 15 | #7783 |
| 2010 | 13 | #8701 |
| 2009 | 12 | #9379 |
| 2008 | 19 | #6799 |
| 2007 | 14 | #8520 |
| 2006 | 15 | #7868 |
| 2005 | 7 | #13010 |
| 2004 | 7 | #12761 |
| 2003 | 9 | #10425 |
| 2002 | 7 | #12187 |
| 2001 | 10 | #9351 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Nelli a popular girl name?
Nelli ranked #5152 among girls in 2025 with 25 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #10866.
When was the name Nelli most popular?
Nelli peaked in 2021, when 25 American girls received the name (ranked #5091 that year). Since 2021 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Nelli?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 72,000 newborn American girls was named Nelli. It scores 70/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
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.