Nelda Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: NEL-duh //ˈnɛl.də//
Origin: English; German
Meaning: English: bright; German: brave
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Nelda has its roots in the combination of the elements from the Old English and Germanic languages. It is often considered a diminutive or derivative of names such as Nelly or Helen, which themselves derive from the Greek name Helene, meaning "torch" or "light." The transition into English occurred through the Norman influence in the 11th century, where names were adapted and transformed in various ways, leading to the emergence of Nelda as a distinct form in the 20th century.
The name's phonetic qualities and soft consonants contribute to its appeal in English-speaking contexts. Historically, the name has not been associated with any specific biblical figures or saints, which distinguishes it from many traditional names that have deep religious or historical significance.
However, the broader family of names related to Helen has been prominent throughout history, with figures such as Helen of Troy in ancient Greek mythology symbolizing beauty and desire. The use of names derived from Helen has been prevalent in various cultures, often embodying themes of light and illumination.
Culturally, Nelda may resonate with notions of warmth and nurturing, qualities often attributed to names that share its linguistic heritage. The name's gentle sound and structure have allowed it to maintain a certain charm, contributing to its endurance in various communities.
While Nelda itself may not have a long historical record, its connections to more established names and its roots in the concept of light lend it a timeless quality that continues to be appreciated.
Famous people named Nelda
In this section, you will find notable people named Nelda. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Nelda who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Nelda who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Nelda Linsk is an artist best known for her work in the field of painting and her contributions to the Los Angeles art scene.
Nelda H. Smith is a writer best known for her novels and contributions to contemporary literature.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Nelda, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Nelda. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Nelda was first seen in the United States in 1884.
Nelda has ranked as high as #482 nationally, which occurred in 1938, and has been most popular in Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Oklahoma, and Mississippi.
In the past 5 years the name Nelda has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Nelda is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Nelda was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Nelda.
| Year | Total Births | Boy | Girl |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| 2024 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| 2022 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 2019 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 2018 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 2017 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 2015 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 2014 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 2007 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 2006 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| 2005 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 2004 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 2003 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| 2002 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 2001 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 2000 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 1999 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| 1998 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 1997 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| 1996 | 14 | 0 | 14 |
| 1995 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| 1994 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| 1993 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| 1992 | 14 | 0 | 14 |
| 1991 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 1990 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 1989 | 26 | 0 | 26 |
| 1988 | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| 1987 | 25 | 0 | 25 |
| 1986 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 1985 | 17 | 0 | 17 |
| 1984 | 27 | 0 | 27 |
| 1983 | 29 | 0 | 29 |
| 1982 | 43 | 0 | 43 |
| 1981 | 32 | 0 | 32 |
| 1980 | 32 | 0 | 32 |
| 1979 | 45 | 0 | 45 |
| 1978 | 37 | 0 | 37 |
| 1977 | 38 | 0 | 38 |
| 1976 | 42 | 0 | 42 |
| 1975 | 56 | 0 | 56 |
| 1974 | 54 | 0 | 54 |
| 1973 | 42 | 0 | 42 |
| 1972 | 63 | 0 | 63 |
| 1971 | 85 | 0 | 85 |
| 1970 | 74 | 0 | 74 |
| 1969 | 90 | 0 | 90 |
| 1968 | 95 | 0 | 95 |
| 1967 | 94 | 0 | 94 |
| 1966 | 101 | 0 | 101 |
| 1965 | 130 | 0 | 130 |
| 1964 | 165 | 0 | 165 |
| 1963 | 168 | 0 | 168 |
| 1962 | 186 | 0 | 186 |
| 1961 | 224 | 0 | 224 |
| 1960 | 235 | 0 | 235 |
| 1959 | 222 | 0 | 222 |
| 1958 | 242 | 0 | 242 |
| 1957 | 284 | 0 | 284 |
| 1956 | 280 | 0 | 280 |
| 1955 | 361 | 0 | 361 |
| 1954 | 350 | 0 | 350 |
| 1953 | 318 | 0 | 318 |
| 1952 | 387 | 0 | 387 |
| 1951 | 392 | 0 | 392 |
| 1950 | 375 | 0 | 375 |
| 1949 | 447 | 0 | 447 |
| 1948 | 490 | 0 | 490 |
| 1947 | 468 | 0 | 468 |
| 1946 | 521 | 0 | 521 |
| 1945 | 451 | 0 | 451 |
| 1944 | 435 | 0 | 435 |
| 1943 | 500 | 0 | 500 |
| 1942 | 464 | 0 | 464 |
| 1941 | 554 | 0 | 554 |
| 1940 | 540 | 0 | 540 |
| 1939 | 546 | 0 | 546 |
| 1938 | 567 | 0 | 567 |
| 1937 | 526 | 0 | 526 |
| 1936 | 524 | 0 | 524 |
| 1935 | 478 | 5 | 473 |
| 1934 | 493 | 0 | 493 |
| 1933 | 476 | 0 | 476 |
| 1932 | 468 | 0 | 468 |
| 1931 | 424 | 0 | 424 |
| 1930 | 434 | 0 | 434 |
| 1929 | 376 | 0 | 376 |
| 1928 | 440 | 0 | 440 |
| 1927 | 436 | 0 | 436 |
| 1926 | 349 | 0 | 349 |
| 1925 | 315 | 0 | 315 |
| 1924 | 312 | 0 | 312 |
| 1923 | 238 | 0 | 238 |
| 1922 | 251 | 0 | 251 |
| 1921 | 229 | 0 | 229 |
| 1920 | 224 | 0 | 224 |
| 1919 | 154 | 0 | 154 |
| 1918 | 164 | 0 | 164 |
| 1917 | 177 | 0 | 177 |
| 1916 | 158 | 0 | 158 |
| 1915 | 146 | 0 | 146 |
| 1914 | 117 | 0 | 117 |
| 1913 | 75 | 0 | 75 |
| 1912 | 63 | 0 | 63 |
| 1911 | 47 | 0 | 47 |
| 1910 | 29 | 0 | 29 |
| 1909 | 33 | 0 | 33 |
| 1908 | 16 | 0 | 16 |
| 1907 | 25 | 0 | 25 |
| 1906 | 37 | 0 | 37 |
| 1905 | 25 | 0 | 25 |
| 1904 | 19 | 0 | 19 |
| 1903 | 16 | 0 | 16 |
| 1902 | 18 | 0 | 18 |
| 1901 | 19 | 0 | 19 |
| 1900 | 27 | 0 | 27 |
| 1899 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| 1898 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| 1897 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| 1896 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 1895 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| 1894 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 1893 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| 1891 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1889 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 1888 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 1887 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 1884 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Top States for Nelda (2003)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 6 |