Nils
Nils is a Scandinavian given name, a chiefly Norwegian, Danish, Swedish and Latvian variant of Niels, cognate to Nicholas.
- Swedish
- Norwegian
- Danish
Meaning & Origin of Nils
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Nils is a Scandinavian given name, a chiefly Norwegian, Danish, Swedish and Latvian variant of Niels, cognate to Nicholas.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Swedish
- Norwegian
- Danish
The Story of Nils
Nils first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1888, with 7 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1970: 48 births, good for #1,192 nationwide. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #4,784 among baby boy names with 21 births, holding steady (+4%). In total, more than 3K Nilss have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Nils
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Nils. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Nils
Phonetically similar names — useful when Nils 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 Nils
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How popular is Nils in 2026?
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About the name Nils
Nils is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1888 and has accumulated 3K births in the dataset. Nils's peak popularity came in 1970 when it ranked #815. Use the chart and map above to compare Nils's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1970 →
- Names of the 1970s →
- 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.