Name meaning & stats
Niels
Niels. 1,177 US babies since 1940, peak 1957. Notable Nielss are 1.2× over-represented as actors.
What it means
No agreed meaning on record
In US birth records
Peak year: 1957
1,177 US babies were named Niels between 1940 and 2025.
Niels around the world
- Norway: 616 babies since 1945, peak 1959, No. 448 in 2025
- France: 3,225 babies since 1900, peak 2012, No. 755 in 2025
- Belgium: 4,287 babies since 1995, peak 1995, No. 1,030 in 2025
- Sweden: 61 babies since 1998, peak 2012, No. 1,196 in 2022
- England & Wales: 37 babies since 1996, peak 1998
From official birth registries. Sources are listed on About the data.
Where Nielss end up
| Career | vs expected | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Footballer | 0.9× | High · 49 people |
| Politician | 0.6× | High · 35 people |
| Actor | 1.2× | High · 32 people |
| Professor | 1.1× | High · 31 people |
Among notable men who are actors, Nielss show up 1.2× as often as you'd expect from how common the name is.
Notable people of every nationality born 1940–2005 (Wikidata). Patterns, not destiny.
One more thing…
Nielss are 1.9× more likely than expected to be businesspeople.
The surprise career: Medium confidence · 19 notable people.
Other spellings
1 in 7 Niless spell it Niels
Names that sound the same, grouped by Heyotag. Share of US babies since 1940.
Name twins (peaked around 1957)