Nielle
Derived from the French word for "niello", an ornamental black metallic alloy.
Name Census estimates that about 105 living Americans carry the first name Nielle. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Nielle today is around 11 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nielle births was 2023 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nielle. 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.
People living today
105
~ 1 in 3,264,327 Americans
Peak year
2023
12 babies that year
Average age
11
years old
2024 SSA rank
#10,021
Tracked since 2001
Popularity
Nielle: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nielle from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 54 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Nielle remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nielle 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 Nielle 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 Nielle
The name Nielle is believed to have originated from the Old French word "nielle," which means "enamel" or "black enamel." This word is derived from the Latin word "nigellus," meaning "blackish" or "dark-colored." The earliest known use of the name Nielle dates back to the 13th century in France, where it was often given to children born with dark features or hair.
In medieval times, the art of niello, a type of black enamel decoration, was highly prized and practiced by skilled artisans. It is possible that the name Nielle was initially used to honor those who excelled in this craft or had a connection to it. The name also carries connotations of elegance, sophistication, and artistic expression.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Nielle was Nielle de Bouville, a French noblewoman who lived in the 14th century. She was known for her patronage of the arts and her support of local artisans. Another notable figure was Nielle de Champagne, a 15th-century French poet and writer, renowned for her contribution to the courtly love tradition.
During the Renaissance period, the name Nielle gained popularity among the artistic circles of Italy. Nielle Veneziano, born in 1490, was a renowned Venetian painter and engraver, known for her exquisite portraiture and intricate enamel work. Her contemporaries often praised her skill and attention to detail.
In the 17th century, Nielle Delacroix, a French sculptor and woodcarver, created several stunning altarpieces and religious sculptures that adorned churches throughout France. Her works were celebrated for their intricate detailing and symbolic representations.
Another notable figure was Nielle Beaumont, a 19th-century English artist and illustrator. She gained recognition for her vivid illustrations in children's books and her delicate watercolor paintings depicting landscapes and floral scenes.
While the name Nielle has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, it has been carried by individuals who have left their mark in various artistic fields, reflecting the name's connection to beauty, craftsmanship, and attention to detail.
People
Nielle + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nielle 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
Nielle: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nielle?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 105 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nielle 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 3,264,327 US residents.
Is Nielle a common name?
We classify Nielle as "Very Rare". It ranks above 65.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 106 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nielle most popular?
The single biggest year for Nielle was 2023, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nielle is about 11 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 Nielle in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Nielle a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nielle in the SSA data are female. 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 Nielle still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Nielle 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 Nielle 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 called Nielle?
You can see how many Americans are named Nielle on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.