Niels
Niels is a male given name, equivalent to Nicholas, which is common in Denmark, Belgium, Norway (formerly) and the Netherlands. The Norwegian and Swedish variant is Nils. The name is a developed short form of Nicholas or Greek Nikolaos, after Saint Nicholas. Its pet form is Nisse, and female variants are Nielsine, Nielsina, and Nielsa.
- Danish
- Dutch
Meaning & Origin of Niels
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Niels is a male given name, equivalent to Nicholas, which is common in Denmark, Belgium, Norway (formerly) and the Netherlands. The Norwegian and Swedish variant is Nils. The name is a developed short form of Nicholas or Greek Nikolaos, after Saint Nicholas. Its pet form is Nisse, and female variants are Nielsine, Nielsina, and Nielsa.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Danish
- Dutch
The Story of Niels
Niels first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1893, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1957, when 31 Nielss were born — ranking #1,412 that year. As of 2026, Niels ranks #6,688 for baby boys with 12 births, gradually rising (+9%). In total, more than 1K Nielss have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1890s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Niels
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Niels. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Niels
Phonetically similar names — useful when Niels is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Niels
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About the name Niels
Niels is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1893 and has accumulated 1K births in the dataset. Niels's peak popularity came in 1957 when it ranked #1,035. Use the chart and map above to compare Niels's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1957 →
- Names of the 1950s →
- Names starting with "N" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . 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 (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
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.