Nillie
A feminine variant spelling of the name Nellie, derived from Cornelia.
Name Census estimates that about 13 living Americans carry the first name Nillie. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Nillie today is around 85 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nillie births was 1927 (11 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nillie. 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 Nillie is about 85 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Nillies were born before 1951.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Nillie. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
13
~ 1 in 26,365,718 Americans
Peak year
1927
11 babies that year
Average age
85
years old
1953 SSA rank
#6,294
Tracked since 1913
Popularity
Nillie: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nillie from the 1910s through to the 1950s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 47 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nillie 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 Nillie 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 Nillie
The name Nillie has its origins in the Scandinavian languages, particularly Swedish and Norwegian. It is a diminutive form of the name Nils or Niels, which is derived from the Old Norse name Nikolás. This name ultimately traces its roots back to the Greek name Nikolaos, which means "victory of the people."
In its earliest form, Nillie was likely a nickname or pet name used for someone named Nils or Niels. It first emerged in the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century, when Scandinavian names were heavily influenced by the spread of Christianity and the influx of biblical and Greek names.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nillie can be found in the Icelandic Sagas, which are a collection of historical narratives and myths from the 13th and 14th centuries. In the Saga of Erik the Red, there is a character named Nillie Arnfinnsson, who was a prominent farmer and landowner in Greenland during the Viking era.
During the Renaissance period, the name Nillie gained popularity in various parts of Europe, particularly in Scandinavia and the Low Countries. One notable figure from this time was Nillie Grynt, a Dutch artist and engraver who lived in the late 16th century and was known for his intricate woodcut illustrations.
In the 17th century, the name Nillie appeared in the historical records of Sweden and Norway. A notable example is Nillie Svensson, a Swedish merchant and trader who established trade routes between Sweden and the Baltic regions during the reign of King Gustav II Adolf.
As the centuries progressed, the name Nillie spread to other parts of Europe and even reached the Americas through immigration. One prominent figure was Nillie Olafsdottir, an Icelandic-American writer and activist who lived in the late 19th century and advocated for women's rights and education.
Another notable individual was Nillie Kvam, a Norwegian-American artist and sculptor who was active in the early 20th century. Her works celebrated Norwegian culture and folklore, and she is renowned for her intricate woodcarvings and sculptures.
While the name Nillie has seen a decline in modern times, it has left a lasting legacy in various cultures and historical periods. From the Viking sagas to the Renaissance artists and modern activists, the name Nillie has been borne by individuals who have made significant contributions to their respective fields and societies.
People
Nillie + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nillie 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
Nillie: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nillie?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 13 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nillie 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 26,365,718 US residents.
Is Nillie a common name?
We classify Nillie as "Very Rare". It ranks above 33.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 109 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nillie most popular?
The single biggest year for Nillie was 1927, when 11 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nillie is about 85 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 Nillie in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Nillie a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nillie 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 Nillie still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Nillie 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 Nillie 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 have the name Nillie?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans are named Nillie on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.