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#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201954peak #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 1954

  • 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: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedWAIdaho: 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: #742 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 14,240 girlsILWisconsin: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedWIMichigan: #786 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 17,532 girlsMINew 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: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedINOhio: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedOHPennsylvania: 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: #915 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 15,942 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: #577 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 8,682 girlsMOKentucky: #275 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 2,274 girlsKYWest Virginia: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedWVVirginia: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedVAMaryland: 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: #325 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 2,132 girlsNMKansas: #419 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 4,394 girlsKSArkansas: #327 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 2,417 girlsARTennessee: #269 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 2,277 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #419 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 4,304 girlsNCSouth Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #258 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 1,878 girlsOKLouisiana: #338 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 2,382 girlsLAMississippi: #294 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 2,014 girlsMSAlabama: #225 for girls · 26 births · 1 in 1,412 girlsALGeorgia: #457 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 5,103 girlsGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Nelda, so not publishedHITexas: #155 for girls · 141 births · 1 in 794 girlsTXFlorida: #598 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 7,530 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Texas#155 · 1 in 794
  2. Alabama#225 · 1 in 1,412
  3. Oklahoma#258 · 1 in 1,878
  4. Tennessee#269 · 1 in 2,277
  5. Kentucky#275 · 1 in 2,274

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Texas#1551411 in 794
Alabama#225261 in 1,412
Oklahoma#258121 in 1,878
Tennessee#269171 in 2,277
Kentucky#275151 in 2,274
Mississippi#294141 in 2,014
New Mexico#32551 in 2,132
Arkansas#32781 in 2,417
Louisiana#338161 in 2,382
Kansas#41951 in 4,394
North Carolina#419121 in 4,304
Georgia#45791 in 5,103
Missouri#57751 in 8,682
Florida#59851 in 7,530
Illinois#74271 in 14,240
Michigan#78651 in 17,532
California#91591 in 15,942
Alaska———
Arizona———
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Connecticut———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Hawaii———
Idaho———
Indiana———
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Nevada———
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Ohio———
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Pennsylvania———
Rhode Island———
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Utah———
Vermont———
Virginia———
Washington———
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 1954

girls
#477
350 births · 1 in 5,548 girls

Top girls' names in 1954

  1. #1Mary68,019
  2. #2Linda55,371
  3. #3Deborah54,674
  4. #4Patricia49,149
  5. #5Susan47,162
  6. #6Debra45,896
  7. #7Barbara36,368
  8. #8Karen32,456
  9. #9Nancy30,270
  10. #10Cynthia27,615
  11. #477Nelda350
More about 1954

girls

1,941,915 girls got a published name in 1954; 1 in 5,548 of them was named Nelda, which outranked 92.8% of the 6,625 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Nelda
  1. #474Tonya353
  2. #475Charmaine351
  3. #475Eugenia351
  4. #477Nelda350
  5. #478Lynnette348
  6. #479Cathryn347
  7. #480Ilene346
Biggest movers since 1953
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,699Sherree#2,699 → #1,000
  2. ↑ 1,434Sabrina#2,236 → #802
  3. ↑ 932Valinda#1,738 → #806
  4. ↑ 748Sheree#1,071 → #323
  5. ↑ 421Sherie#1,248 → #827
Fallers
  1. ↓ 396Enola#948 → #1,344
  2. ↓ 311Ila#782 → #1,093
  3. ↓ 302Nancie#816 → #1,118
  4. ↓ 282Arline#904 → #1,186
  5. ↓ 269Candyce#944 → #1,213

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

See the top 100 for 1954 →