ESC 

Name Rank Total 

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1889

First Year

1976

Last Year

1935

Peak Year

#1039

Peak Rank

1K

Total Count

62

Years Active

📖

## The Story of Nelva

Nelva first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1889, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1935, when 44 Nelvas were born — ranking #1,039 that year. As of 2026, Nelva ranks #6,611 for baby girls with 8 births, with steady use. In total, more than 1K Nelvas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

## Popularity Over Time

## Popularity by State

ME

WA

MT

ND

MN

WI

MI

NY

VT

NH

MA

OR

ID

SD

IA

IL

IN

OH

PA

NJ

CT

RI

CA

NV

WY

NE

MO

KY

WV

VA

MD

DE

DC

UT

CO

KS

AR

TN

NC

SC

AK

AZ

NM

OK

LA

MS

AL

GA

HI

TX

FL

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

🎶

## Names that sound like Nelva

Phonetically similar names — useful when Nelva is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name. 

* [Melva](/melva)
* [Nelia](/nelia)
* [Nella](/nella)
* [Nela](/nela)
* [Malva](/malva)
* Molva
* [Nyla](/nyla)
* Nulla
* Nullah
* [Nova](/nova)
* [Nelly](/nelly)
* [Nola](/nola)

Source: [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/). Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated. 

❓

## Frequently Asked Questions about Nelva

What does the name Nelva mean?

Nelva is a girl's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1889\. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.

How popular is Nelva in 2026?

In 2026, Nelva ranks #6,611 among girls' names in the U.S., with 8 babies given the name that year.

When was Nelva most popular?

Nelva reached its peak popularity in 1935, ranking #1,039 that year with 44 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Nelva most popular?

Nelva has historically been most popular in Texas, Kentucky, Oklahoma. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Nelva.

Is Nelva a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Nelva is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.

What names go well with Nelva?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Nelva include Laquisha, Kaleah, Fleta. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

## Similar Names

[👧LaquishaPeak #1039](/laquisha)[👧KaleahPeak #1039](/kaleah)[👧FletaPeak #1040](/fleta)[👧DeloisePeak #1040](/deloise)[👧GeneaPeak #1038](/genea)[👧ZettaPeak #1037](/zetta)[👧MadelainePeak #1037](/madelaine)[👧SteffiePeak #1041](/steffie)

## About the name Nelva 

Nelva is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1889 and has accumulated 1K births in the dataset. Nelva's peak popularity came in 1935 when it ranked #1,039\. Use the chart and map above to compare Nelva's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

### Continue exploring 

* [ Top names of 1935 → ](/year/1935)
* [ Names of the 1930s → ](/decade/1930s)
* [ Names starting with "N" → ](/letter/n)
* [ Browse all girl names → ](/names/girls)
* [ Top names of 2026 → ](/year/2026)

Data sources

* Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. [Social Security Administration ](https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/). Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
* Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — [Behind the Name ](https://www.behindthename.com/) (used under their public API terms).
* Meaning prose and editorial summary — [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/) article extracts, licensed under [CC BY-SA 3.0 ](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/).
* Predicted nationality distribution — [Nationalize.io ](https://nationalize.io/).
* Phonetically similar names — [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/).

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.