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Home › Baby Names Directory › Nels

Nels

♂ Boy

Pronounced NELZ /ˈnɛlz/High

Meaning: Scandinavian short form of Nils (Nicholas) — from Greek, 'victory of the people'; also a short form of NelsonMedium

In 30 seconds: Victory of the people: Nels is the Scandinavian Nils — 'victory of the people'. Crisp, sturdy, and warm.
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Origin MediumGreek, Scandinavian
MeaningScandinavian short form of Nils (Nicholas) — from Greek, 'victory of the people'; also a short form of Nelson
U.S. rank (2025)#4656 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births22 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1918
Total births (all-time)≈ 3,841

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 191818802025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Nels is a Scandinavian short form of Nils — the Norwegian/Swedish form of Nicholas, from Greek nike, 'victory', plus laos, 'people' — 'victory of the people'; it is also a short form of Nelson, 'son of Neil'. A crisp, sturdy, vintage Scandinavian-American name.

In the U.S. it appears in Scandinavian families. Rare, victory-of-the-people at the root, and sturdy.

Did you know? Nicholas means 'victory of the people' (Greek nike + laos) — Nils is its Scandinavian form, and Nels is a sturdy short form (a vintage Scandinavian-American name; also short for Nelson); crisp and warm.
Overall data confidence 68%
References — Nils — root etymology

Variations

NilsNielsNelson

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

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If you like Nels…

Nils— the fuller name
Nelson— a name it can shorten
Lars— another Scandinavian short boys' name
Nick— lands in the same popularity range
Nyx— a similarly popular pick

Explore names like Nels

By themegreeknickname-namescandinavian
By meaningVictory

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Nels mean?

Nels is the Scandinavian Nils (Nicholas) — Greek 'victory of the people'; also short for Nelson.

How do you pronounce Nels?

It's said NELZ /ˈnɛlz/ — a single syllable.

Is Nels a boy or girl name?

Nels is a boy's name.

How popular is Nels?

Nels is a rare name in the U.S.

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