The first name Niels
A boy’s name.
1 syllable Male
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
Niels last appeared in the official list in 2016, given to 4 boys. It peaked in 1998, with 7 births (#1,642).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Niels with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Niels at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 15 boys born in the United States were named Niels, the 6,060th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1957, when 31 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Famous people named Niels
73 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Niels BohrDanish physicist (1885–1962)
- Niels Ryberg FinsenFaroese physician and scientist and Nobel laureate (1860–1904)
- Niels Kaj JerneDanish immunologist, 1911–1994
- Niels GadeDanish composer, conductor, violinist, organist and teacher (1817–1890)
- Niels ArestrupFrench actor, film director and screenwriter (1949–2024)
- Poul NielsenDanish footballer (1891-1962)
- Niels NeergaardDanish politician (1854-1936)
- Niels SchneiderFranco-Canadian actor, born 1987
- Niels BrinckDanish musician, born 1974
- Niels FredborgDanish racing cyclist, born 1946
- Niels Helveg PetersenDanish politician (1939-2017)
- Niels Arden OplevDanish film director, born 1961
Questions
- How popular is the name Niels?
- In 2016, 4 boys born in England and Wales were named Niels, ranking 4,023rd. Its peak was 1998, with 7 births.
- Is Niels a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 1,462 US babies named Niels since 1880 were boys.
- When was Niels most popular?
- 1957 in the United States, when 31 babies were named Niels, its highest rank at 1,426th.