How Many People Are Named Michael Nelson?
There are approximately 5,386 people named Michael Nelson living in the United States today. That makes this name combination common, occurring at a rate of about 1 in 63,638 Americans.
This estimate combines SSA birth records for the first name Michael with Census Bureau frequency data for the surname Nelson. Below you will find a breakdown of both names, including popularity trends, gender data, and ancestry information.
Estimated People with This Name
5,386
1 in 63,638 Americans
Combination Rarity
Common
First Name
View full profileMichael
Last Name
View full profileNelson
Michael: Popularity Over Time
Year-by-year SSA birth registrations for the first name Michael. The peak year was 1957 with 93,041 births. The average person named Michael today is 50 years old.
Ancestry of the Nelson Surname
Self-reported race and ethnicity breakdown for people with the surname Nelson, from the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau.
How we calculated this
The first name "Michael" has an estimated frequency of 1.09% among living Americans, based on SSA birth records from 1880 to 2024 adjusted for mortality using CDC 2023 life tables.
The surname "Nelson" appears at a rate of 144.06 per 100,000 people in the 2010 U.S. Census.
Multiplying these frequencies against the U.S. population of ~343 million gives 5,386 estimated people. This assumes first names and last names are statistically independent. Full methodology.
Other people named Michael
Other people with the surname Nelson
Michael Nelson: Questions and Answers
How many people are named Michael Nelson?
We estimate approximately 5,386 people named Michael Nelson are alive in the United States today. The first name Michael is shared by 3,738,917 Americans, and the surname Nelson is shared by 483,888.
How rare is the name Michael Nelson?
This name combination is classified as Common, occurring at a rate of about 1 in 63,638 Americans. The first name Michael is very common and the surname Nelson is common.
Is Michael a male or female name?
Michael is predominantly male, with 99.5% of bearers being male and 0.5% female. It peaked in popularity in 1957 and the average bearer today is 50 years old.
Where does this data come from?
First name data comes from the Social Security Administration (1880 to 2024), adjusted for survival using CDC 2023 life tables. Surname data comes from the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau. Full methodology.
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