A Swedish name gently fading from the charts.
A surname.
Nilson is a boy's baby name of Swedish origin, a patronymic surname meaning 'son of Nils' — Nils being the Scandinavian form of Nicholas, from the Greek Nikolaos meaning 'victory of the people.'
As surname-style first names continue to trend, Nilson has a clean Nordic profile — it sounds purposeful and unhurried, like a name from somewhere cold and clear-skied.
Nilson climbed 1635 spots in the last 20 years — from #7988 to #6353.
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 34 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 111 | — |
| 2000s | 115 | ▲ |
| 1990s | 68 | ▲ |
| 1980s | 16 | — |
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 14 | #6353 |
| 2023 | 8 | #9493 |
| 2022 | 6 | #11879 |
| 2020 | 6 | #11578 |
| 2019 | 17 | #5498 |
| 2018 | 14 | #6238 |
| 2017 | 6 | #11782 |
| 2016 | 14 | #6253 |
| 2015 | 11 | #7399 |
| 2014 | 8 | #9377 |
| 2013 | 10 | #7934 |
| 2012 | 11 | #7400 |
| 2011 | 12 | #6881 |
| 2010 | 8 | #9421 |
| 2009 | 11 | #7562 |
| 2008 | 15 | #5981 |
| 2007 | 17 | #5362 |
| 2006 | 10 | #7843 |
| 2005 | 9 | #8112 |
| 2004 | 9 | #7988 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Last updated May 2026 · Data: U.S. Social Security Administration (1982–2024) · Methodology