Nesby
A variant spelling of the name Nesbit, possibly derived from Scandinavian elements meaning "nose-shaped headland".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Nesby. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Nesby today is around 74 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nesby births was 1929 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nesby. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Nesby is about 74 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Nesbys were born before 1962.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Nesby. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1929
6 babies that year
Average age
74
years old
1957 SSA rank
#4,375
Tracked since 1929
Popularity
Nesby: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nesby from the 1920s through to the 1950s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 6 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nesby by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Nesby during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Nesby
The name Nesby is believed to have its origins in the ancient Nordic languages of Scandinavia. It is derived from the Old Norse word "nesbyr," which means "dweller near the headland." This suggests that the name may have originally been a descriptive term used to refer to those who lived near coastal promontories or peninsulas.
In the early medieval period, the name Nesby began to appear in various written records and chronicles across the Norse-speaking regions of northern Europe. One of the earliest known references is found in the Icelandic Sagas, where a character named Nesby Halfdansson is mentioned as a prominent chieftain in the 9th century.
As the influence of the Vikings spread across Europe during the Viking Age, the name Nesby also gained traction in other parts of the continent. In the 11th century, a Norman nobleman named Nesby de Montfort is recorded as having accompanied William the Conqueror during the Norman invasion of England in 1066.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Nesby remained relatively uncommon but was occasionally borne by notable figures. One such individual was Nesby Thorvaldsson, a 13th-century Icelandic scholar and poet renowned for his mastery of the skaldic verse form.
In the Renaissance period, the name Nesby gained some prominence in the arts and literature. Nesby Vermeer, a Dutch painter born in 1595, is celebrated for his masterful use of light and his intimate interior scenes.
Other notable historical figures with the name Nesby include:
1. Nesby Livingstone (1813-1873), a Scottish missionary and explorer who was the first European to cross the entire length of southern Africa.
2. Nesby Wren (1632-1723), an English architect widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of British architecture.
3. Nesby Vasa (1542-1592), a Swedish monarch who reigned as King of Sweden from 1560 until his death.
4. Nesby Erasmus (1466-1536), a Dutch Renaissance scholar, humanist, and Catholic priest known for his critical texts and translations of the New Testament.
5. Nesby Bronte (1816-1855), an English novelist and poet, best known for her famous novel "Jane Eyre."
While the name Nesby has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, it has left an indelible mark across various cultures and disciplines, reflecting its ancient origins and the diverse paths taken by those who have borne this distinctive moniker.
People
Nesby + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nesby as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with N
Other first names starting with N with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Nesby: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nesby?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nesby going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Nesby a common name?
We classify Nesby as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 16 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nesby most popular?
The single biggest year for Nesby was 1929, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nesby is about 74 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Nesby in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Nesby a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nesby in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Nesby still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Nesby in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Nesby can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Nesby?
Find out how many Americans are named Nesby on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.