Nilson
Nilson is both a surname and a given name variant of Nelson.
- Portuguese
Meaning & Origin of Nilson
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Nilson is both a surname and a given name variant of Nelson.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Portuguese
The Story of Nilson
The earliest SSA record of Nilson as a baby boy name dates back to 1982, when 6 babies received it. 2007 was its biggest year on record, with 17 newborns named Nilson — #5,208 in the national rankings. About 32% of every Nilson on record arrived during the 2000s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Nilson ranks #7,173 for baby boys with 10 births, gradually falling (-9%). All told, over 365 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1980s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Nilson
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Nilson. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Nilson
Phonetically similar names — useful when Nilson 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 Nilson
What does the name Nilson mean?
What is the origin of the name Nilson?
How popular is Nilson in 2026?
When was Nilson most popular?
In which U.S. states is Nilson most popular?
Is Nilson a unisex name?
What names go well with Nilson?
What are nicknames or variants of Nilson?
About the name Nilson
Nilson is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1982 and has accumulated 365 births in the dataset. Nilson's peak popularity came in 2007 when it ranked #4,239. Use the chart and map above to compare Nilson's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2007 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- 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.