Nielsen
A boy's name of Danish origin with 11 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
At 7 letters and two syllables, Nielsen hits the middle ground most parents look for: long enough to feel complete, short enough for everyday use. It has been used as a boy's name in the U.S. since 1991, with 11 total recorded births.
Nielsen is not in the current top 1,000, which means your child is unlikely to share the name with a classmate — a plus for parents who value distinctiveness.
Nielsen is not in the current top 1,000 boy names nationally, making it an uncommon choice — though your state or community may differ.
Nielsen is a masculine name, a Danish and Norwegian patronymic surname meaning "son of Niels" — Niels being the Scandinavian form of Nicholas, from the Greek Nikolaos, "victory of the people." As a given name in the United States, Nielsen follows the long American tradition of using Scandinavian surnames as first names, particularly in Midwestern communities with Danish or Norwegian heritage.
Nielsen is perhaps most widely recognized as a surname — the Nielsen Company (of television ratings fame) bearing it globally. As a first name it carries a clean, Scandinavian directness. It appears in SSA records only a handful of times.
EtymologyShow more
The ending of a name often carries more etymological information than the beginning. Nielsen's final sounds are grounded, surname-style — originally a patronymic in English and Scandinavian traditions. In English-language naming, masculine names frequently end on harder consonants or closed syllables, creating a sense of decisiveness and strength. Nielsen follows that masculine pattern.
Explore the ending-based name pages on this site to find names that share Nielsen's suffix pattern — names with similar endings often share a style and era, even when they come from different linguistic backgrounds.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Nielsen has 2+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1991.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 6 | ▲ |
| 1990s | 5 | — |
The Story of Nielsen
A Gen Alpha name
Peaking in 2019, Nielsen is a fresh, modern favorite. Boys named Nielsen are most likely born between 2009 and 2019.
How rare is Nielsen?
With fewer than 500 recorded births, Nielsen is an exceptionally rare name — a one-of-a-kind choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1991, peaked in the 2010s with 6 births that decade.
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(2 years, 1991–2019)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 6 | #11739 |
| 1991 | 5 | #9191 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nielsen a boy's or girl's name?
When was Nielsen most popular?
How popular is the name Nielsen?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1991–2019