Nels is a distinctive boys' name in United States, ranking #4656 in 2025 with 22 recorded births. This places Nels in the top 33% of ranked US boys' names for the year. Its actual usage is classified as Rare. The name reached its all-time peak in 2021 with 23 births ranking #4454. Since 1996, the popularity has increased by 15.8%. In 2025, approximately 1 in every 77,640 boys born was named Nels. RISING Recent data shows the name is currently rising.