Holding steady, #5,861 for boys today.
Popularity of Niels since 1893
Babies named Niels per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1957, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Niels's real moment was 1893.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 5 |
| 1900s | 5 |
| 1910s | 79 |
| 1920s | 110 |
| 1930s | 86 |
| 1940s | 92 |
| 1950s | 180 |
| 1960s | 156 |
| 1970s | 138 |
| 1980s | 128 |
| 1990s | 132 |
| 2000s | 124 |
| 2010s | 151 |
| 2020s | 76 |
Meaning & origin
Niels is a Scandinavian and Dutch form of Nicholas, derived from the Greek Nikolaos meaning 'victory of the people.' The name first appeared in U.S. records in 1893, its peak year of usage, when it ranked 5,861. It has since maintained a relatively stable presence, though it remains uncommon. In 2025, Niels was given to about 1 in every 113,872 baby boys, with the highest concentration in California. The name is most familiar internationally through the physicist Niels Bohr, and it continues to be used in Danish and Dutch communities.
Niels is a Scandinavian and Dutch form of Nicholas, derived from the Greek Nikolaos, meaning 'victory of the people.' The name has been used in Denmark since the Middle Ages and is common in the Netherlands. It is borne by several Danish kings and prominent scientists.
Where Niels is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state, 2025. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Niels” around the world
Where Niels lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
60
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Sibling names for Niels
Names that share Niels's style, for a brother or sister.
