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Nils

♂ Boy

Pronounced NILSS /ˈnɪls/Medium

Meaning: Scandinavian short form of Nicholas/Nikolas — from Greek, 'victory of the people'Medium

In 30 seconds: Victory of the people: Nils is the Scandinavian Nicholas — crisp, strong, and warm.

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Origin MediumGreek, Scandinavian

MeaningScandinavian short form of Nicholas/Nikolas — from Greek, 'victory of the people'

U.S. rank (2024)#4979 ↘ Falling

2024 U.S. births20 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1970

Total births (all-time)≈ 3,061

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

Nils is a Scandinavian short form of Nicholas/Nikolas — from Greek nike, 'victory', plus laos, 'people' — 'victory of the people'. A crisp, strong, classic name across Sweden, Norway, and Denmark (the folktale hero Nils Holgersson).

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

Did you know? Nicholas means 'victory of the people' (Greek nike + laos) — Nils is its crisp Scandinavian short form (the folk hero Nils Holgersson); strong and classic.

Overall data confidence 78%

Behind the Name — Nils — etymology

Variations

NielsNilssonNikolas

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

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If you like Nils…

Nicholas— the full name

Lars— a fellow Scandinavian short name

Sven— another Scandinavian boys' name

Nick— another Greek name

Nyx— a fellow Greek choice

Explore names like Nils

By themegreek scandinavian victory

By meaningVictory

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Nils mean?

Nils is the Scandinavian Nicholas — Greek 'victory of the people'.

How do you pronounce Nils?

It's said NILSS /ˈnɪls/ — a single syllable.

Is Nils a boy or girl name?

Nils is a boy's name.

How popular is Nils?

Nils is a rare name in the U.S.