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#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201948peak #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 1948

  • 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: #423 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 4,959 girlsWAIdaho: #156 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 753 girlsIDMontana: 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: #711 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 13,964 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: #396 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 5,134 girlsINOhio: #617 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 12,146 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: #490 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 5,571 girlsCAUtah: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedUTColorado: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedCONebraska: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedNEMissouri: #424 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 5,556 girlsMOKentucky: #286 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 2,480 girlsKYWest Virginia: #397 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 4,787 girlsWVVirginia: #486 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 7,119 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: #237 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 1,208 girlsNMKansas: #285 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 2,512 girlsKSArkansas: #209 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 1,245 girlsARTennessee: #168 for girls · 35 births · 1 in 1,086 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #372 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 3,869 girlsNCSouth Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #186 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 1,202 girlsOKLouisiana: #199 for girls · 31 births · 1 in 1,042 girlsLAMississippi: #208 for girls · 28 births · 1 in 1,021 girlsMSAlabama: #171 for girls · 43 births · 1 in 881 girlsALGeorgia: #418 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 4,679 girlsGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedHITexas: #128 for girls · 146 births · 1 in 627 girlsTXFlorida: #334 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 2,678 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Texas#128 · 1 in 627
  2. Idaho#156 · 1 in 753
  3. Tennessee#168 · 1 in 1,086
  4. Alabama#171 · 1 in 881
  5. Oklahoma#186 · 1 in 1,202

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Texas#1281461 in 627
Idaho#15681 in 753
Tennessee#168351 in 1,086
Alabama#171431 in 881
Oklahoma#186181 in 1,202
Louisiana#199311 in 1,042
Mississippi#208281 in 1,021
Arkansas#209181 in 1,245
New Mexico#23771 in 1,208
Kansas#28571 in 2,512
Kentucky#286141 in 2,480
Florida#334101 in 2,678
North Carolina#372131 in 3,869
Indiana#39681 in 5,134
West Virginia#39751 in 4,787
Georgia#41891 in 4,679
Washington#42351 in 4,959
Missouri#42471 in 5,556
Virginia#48651 in 7,119
California#490201 in 5,571
Ohio#61771 in 12,146
Illinois#71161 in 13,964
Alaska———
Arizona———
Colorado———
Connecticut———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Hawaii———
Iowa———
Maine———
Maryland———
Massachusetts———
Michigan———
Minnesota———
Montana———
Nebraska———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
New Jersey———
New York———
North Dakota———
Oregon———
Pennsylvania———
Rhode Island———
South Carolina———
South Dakota———
Utah———
Vermont———
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 1948

girls
#350
490 births · 1 in 3,465 girls

Top girls' names in 1948

  1. #1Linda96,220
  2. #2Mary68,597
  3. #3Barbara46,826
  4. #4Patricia46,140
  5. #5Susan35,988
  6. #6Sandra31,063
  7. #7Nancy29,411
  8. #8Carol28,977
  9. #9Sharon26,143
  10. #10Kathleen23,257
  11. #350Nelda490
More about 1948

girls

1,697,908 girls got a published name in 1948; 1 in 3,465 of them was named Nelda, which outranked 94.2% of the 6,040 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 25.5% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Nelda
  1. #347Frankie502
  2. #348Rosalind499
  3. #349Myrna493
  4. #350Nelda490
  5. #351Celia489
  6. #352Margo488
  7. #353Jessica482
Biggest movers since 1947
Risers
  1. ↑ 555Shawn#1,510 → #955
  2. ↑ 549Regena#1,488 → #939
  3. ↑ 491Regenia#1,255 → #764
  4. ↑ 460Mickie#1,228 → #768
  5. ↑ 413Shirleen#1,377 → #964
Fallers
  1. ↓ 408Michaele#859 → #1,267
  2. ↓ 358Marge#969 → #1,327
  3. ↓ 334Ilona#875 → #1,209
  4. ↓ 282Trudi#875 → #1,157
  5. ↓ 248Marylyn#909 → #1,157

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

See the top 100 for 1948 →