Nils
Nils was the #4,857 boys' name in the US in 2025 (20 babies), and #4,275 in England & Wales and #2,789 in Canada.
Nils as a boy’s name
- US
- England & Wales
- Scotland
- Ireland
- Canada
Show the numbers
| Year | US | England & Wales | Scotland | Ireland | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #4,857 (20) | #4,275 (4) | — | — | #2,789 (6) |
| 2024 | #4,890 (20) | #4,271 (4) | — | — | #3,072 (5) |
| 2023 | #4,343 (24) | — | — | — | — |
| 2022 | #5,874 (15) | — | — | — | — |
| 2021 | #6,032 (14) | #3,990 (4) | — | — | — |
| 2020 | #4,698 (20) | — | — | — | — |
| 2019 | #4,806 (20) | #3,411 (5) | — | — | — |
| 2018 | #4,094 (25) | #3,959 (4) | — | — | — |
| 2017 | #5,111 (18) | #4,812 (3) | — | — | — |
| 2016 | #4,624 (21) | #4,810 (3) | — | — | — |
| 2015 | #4,711 (20) | #2,319 (9) | — | — | #1,956 (8) |
| 2014 | #4,392 (22) | #2,248 (9) | — | — | — |
| 2013 | #3,964 (25) | — | — | — | — |
| 2012 | #3,894 (26) | #2,721 (7) | #669 (3) | — | — |
| 2011 | #4,983 (18) | #2,892 (6) | — | — | — |
The tide so far
- Peaked in the US in 1888 at #815.
- Holding steady over the last five years.
- First recorded in the US in 1888.
How common is it?
about 1 in 83,000 baby boys in the published US list for 2025.
In a group of 1,000 children born that year, you would expect to meet fewer than 1. How we work this out.
How common, country by country
| Where | Sex | Latest year | Share | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | Boys | 2025 | about 1 in 83,000 | rare |
| England & Wales | Boys | 2025 | about 1 in 67,000 | rare |
| Canada | Boys | 2025 | about 1 in 26,000 | rare |
Next year
On its recent trend, Nils is likely to keep rising in the US in 2026: about 1 in 67,000 baby boys. Likely range 1 in 47,000 to 1 in 94,000.
Estimate, not an official figure. How we estimate.
Spellings
Official statistics count each spelling separately, so we show them side by side rather than adding them up.
| Spelling | Where | Sex | Latest rank | Babies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nils | Canada | Boys | #2,789 | 6 |
| Nils | England & Wales | Boys | #4,275 | 4 |
| Nils | Ireland | Boys | — | too few |
| Nils | Scotland | Boys | — | too few |
| Nils | US | Boys | #4,857 | 20 |