Feminine dossier · first seen 1880
Nell
Resurgent
Gaining cultural share
Peak era
1917
Peak births
766
Current vitality
Fragile
Peak generation
Greatest Generation
Quick answers about Nell
How many people are named Nell?
An estimated 4,301 living Americans are named Nell.
How rare is Nell?
Nell is uncommon among babies today, with 128 girls receiving the name in 2025, down 83.3% from its 1917 peak.
How old is the typical Nell?
The median age of a living American named Nell is approximately 51 years, with most bearers falling between 11 and 75 years old.
Is Nell still popular?
Yes — Nell is currently rising in popularity, with 128 births in 2025. Births this decade are running about 3.1× higher than the previous decade.
Where is Nell most common?
Nell has its strongest geographic signal in Alabama, where it appears 4.4× more often than the national baseline.
1880Peak 19172025
Peak year
1917
Decline from peak
83.3%
2025
128
All-time
27,612