Nelda

#9,457 for girls in 2025, 10 births · Last seen for boys in 1935 at #3,645
Given to girls >99.9% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · girls
1939 · 546 births
Debut · girls
5 births
In top 100 · girls
never
of 146 years
Total births · girls
20,139
since 1884

Nelda over time

girls

Rank among girls' names. Nelda has never cracked the top 200 here.

#1#10#100#1,000#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201949peak #264, 1939girls
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#9,45710—
2024#8,94611—
2023——
2022#12,2437—
2021——
2020——
2019#13,7996—
2018#13,7936—
2017#15,9025—
2016——
2015#14,4826—
2014#16,5135—
2013——
2012——
2011——
2010——
2009——
2008——
2007#15,4916—
2006#11,4179—
2005#11,8348—
2004#16,0995—
2003#9,67110—
2002#15,4325—
2001#12,0567—
2000#11,8017—
1999#9,4799—
1998#11,1387—
1997#8,33410—
1996#6,39214—
1995#8,07910—
1994#8,12210—
1993#8,05210—
1992#6,31414—
1991#9,3368—
1990#10,1937—
1989#3,78426—
1988#5,32115—
1987#3,52425—
1986#7,7498—
1985#4,45517—
1984#3,14427—
1983#2,91029—
1982#2,28843—
1981#2,77432—
1980#2,80032—
1979#2,18745—
1978#2,39037—
1977#2,34138—
1976#2,06042—
1975#1,68956—
1974#1,68854—
1973#1,93942—
1972#1,50263—
1971#1,29285—
1970#1,40774—
1969#1,17690—
1968#1,09095—
1967#1,07194—
1966#1,031101—
1965#876130—
1964#815165—
1963#801168—
1962#763186—
1961#701224—
1960#661235—
1959#671222—
1958#631242—
1957#574284—
1956#560280—
1955#476361—
1954#477350—
1953#485318—
1952#436387—
1951#423392—
1950#414375—
1949#370447—
1948#350490—
1947#371468—
1946#327521—
1945#319451—
1944#326435—
1943#311500—
1942#321464—
1941#270554—
1940#267540—
1939#264546—
1938#266567—
1937#274526—
1936#265524—
1935#281473#3,6455
1934#277493—
1933#277476—
1932#287468—
1931#310424—
1930#317434—
1929#332376—
1928#312440—
1927#320436—
1926#357349—
1925#384315—
1924#388312—
1923#439238—
1922#415251—
1921#459229—
1920#451224—
1919#554154—
1918#549164—
1917#494177—
1916#522158—
1915#518146—
1914#518117—
1913#59475—
1912#62063—
1911#62447—
1910#79429—
1909#69133—
1908#1,00416—
1907#74925—
1906#57837—
1905#71325—
1904#83719—
1903#86216—
1902#81818—
1901#74719—
1900#68827—
1899#1,03410—
1898#1,04711—
1897#98211—
1896#1,2138—
1895#93212—
1894#1,1368—
1893#1,0239—
1892——
1891#1,3325—
1890——
1889#9508—
1888#9598—
1887#9377—
1886——
1885——
1884#1,0245—
1883——
1882——
1881——
1880——
First appearance
1884

The first year at least five girls were named Nelda! It came in at #1,024, and was given to 5 baby girls.


Quietest stretch: 1884–1886, when fewer than 6 girls a year got the name.

Where Nelda is popular in 1949

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedNHWashington: #393 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 4,187 girlsWAIdaho: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedIDMontana: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedNDMinnesota: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedMNIllinois: #659 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 12,259 girlsILWisconsin: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedWIMichigan: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedMINew York: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedNYMassachusetts: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedRIOregon: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedSDIowa: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedIAIndiana: #339 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 3,818 girlsINOhio: #650 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 14,452 girlsOHPennsylvania: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedPANew Jersey: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #968 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 18,870 girlsCAUtah: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedUTColorado: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedCONebraska: #253 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 2,241 girlsNEMissouri: #252 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 2,279 girlsMOKentucky: #228 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 1,703 girlsKYWest Virginia: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedWVVirginia: #347 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 3,574 girlsVAMaryland: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedDEArizona: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedNMKansas: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedKSArkansas: #301 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 2,234 girlsARTennessee: #225 for girls · 22 births · 1 in 1,713 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #345 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 3,270 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #434 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 4,635 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #177 for girls · 19 births · 1 in 1,132 girlsOKLouisiana: #202 for girls · 32 births · 1 in 1,049 girlsLAMississippi: #244 for girls · 22 births · 1 in 1,326 girlsMSAlabama: #197 for girls · 35 births · 1 in 1,069 girlsALGeorgia: #302 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 2,506 girlsGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedHITexas: #134 for girls · 138 births · 1 in 686 girlsTXFlorida: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Texas#134 · 1 in 686
  2. Oklahoma#177 · 1 in 1,132
  3. Alabama#197 · 1 in 1,069
  4. Louisiana#202 · 1 in 1,049
  5. Tennessee#225 · 1 in 1,713

Best ever in a state: #51 in Texas, 1938.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Texas#1341381 in 686
Oklahoma#177191 in 1,132
Alabama#197351 in 1,069
Louisiana#202321 in 1,049
Tennessee#225221 in 1,713
Kentucky#228201 in 1,703
Mississippi#244221 in 1,326
Missouri#252171 in 2,279
Nebraska#25361 in 2,241
Arkansas#301101 in 2,234
Georgia#302171 in 2,506
Indiana#339111 in 3,818
North Carolina#345151 in 3,270
Virginia#347101 in 3,574
Washington#39361 in 4,187
South Carolina#43461 in 4,635
Ohio#65061 in 14,452
Illinois#65971 in 12,259
California#96861 in 18,870
Alaska———
Arizona———
Colorado———
Connecticut———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Florida———
Hawaii———
Idaho———
Iowa———
Kansas———
Maine———
Maryland———
Massachusetts———
Michigan———
Minnesota———
Montana———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
New Jersey———
New Mexico———
New York———
North Dakota———
Oregon———
Pennsylvania———
Rhode Island———
South Dakota———
Utah———
Vermont———
West Virginia———
Wisconsin———
Wyoming———

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Nelda
Momentum · girls
Brand new
  • 511 spots since 2024 (#8,946 → #9,457)
  • 5,025 spots since 2015 (#14,482 → #9,457)
  • Biggest jump: 346 spots in 1900 (#1,034 → #688)
  • Biggest drop: 281 spots in 1896 (#932 → #1,213)
Rise & fade · girls
55 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1884
  • Peaked 1939 at #264 (546 births)
  • Births halved by 1958, 19 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 1,000 for 70 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: never
  • Top 1,000: 70 yrs · run 1909–1965
Share of babies · girls
1 in 1,946
  • Highest: 1 in 1,946 girls born in 1938 were named Nelda (0.05%)
  • Latest: 1 in 160,727 girls born in 2025 (0.00%)
  • Its best rank, #264 in 1939, was only 1 in 2,008 (0.05%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · girls
The 1930s
  • 24.5% of all girls named Nelda (4,931) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s28#937 (1887)#968
1890s74#932 (1895)#1,087
1900s235#578 (1906)#769
1910s1,130#494 (1917)#579
1920s3,170#312 (1928)#386
1930s4,931#264 (1939)#282
1940s4,870#267 (1940)#323
1950s3,211#414 (1950)#515
1960s1,488#661 (1960)#899
1970s536#1,292 (1971)#1,850
1980s254#2,288 (1982)#3,875
1990s99#6,314 (1992)#8,544
2000s57#9,671 (2003)#12,975
2010s28#13,793 (2018)#14,898
2020s28#8,946 (2024)#10,215

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Nelda in 1949

girls
#370
447 births · 1 in 3,827 girls

Top girls' names in 1949

  1. #1Linda91,015
  2. #2Mary66,874
  3. #3Patricia46,324
  4. #4Barbara42,600
  5. #5Susan37,709
  6. #6Sandra30,643
  7. #7Nancy29,249
  8. #8Carol26,780
  9. #9Kathleen26,357
  10. #10Sharon25,713
  11. #370Nelda447
More about 1949

girls

1,710,877 girls got a published name in 1949; 1 in 3,827 of them was named Nelda, which outranked 93.9% of the 6,066 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 24.7% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Nelda
  1. #367Marla458
  2. #368Frankie454
  3. #369Leah451
  4. #370Nelda447
  5. #370Lauren447
  6. #372Gwen446
  7. #373Unknown443
  8. #374Lou441

Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1948
Risers
  1. ↑ 937Sharman#1,708 → #771
  2. ↑ 665Roseanna#1,422 → #757
  3. ↑ 483Shauna#1,173 → #690
  4. ↑ 293Jacalyn#1,116 → #823
  5. ↑ 267Sanjuana#1,185 → #918
Fallers
  1. ↓ 339Sandie#939 → #1,278
  2. ↓ 296Syble#955 → #1,251
  3. ↓ 272Shirleen#964 → #1,236
  4. ↓ 266Ginny#734 → #1,000
  5. ↓ 260Dina#861 → #1,121

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1949 →