How Many People Are Named Willie Nelson?
There are approximately 316 people named Willie Nelson living in the United States today. That makes this name combination uncommon, occurring at a rate of about 1 in 1,084,666 Americans.
This estimate combines SSA birth records for the first name Willie 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
316
1 in 1,084,666 Americans
Combination Rarity
Uncommon
First Name
View full profileWillie
Last Name
View full profileNelson
Willie: Popularity Over Time
Year-by-year SSA birth registrations for the first name Willie. The peak year was 1925 with 11,071 births. The average person named Willie today is 66 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 "Willie" has an estimated frequency of 0.0640% 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 316 estimated people. This assumes first names and last names are statistically independent. Full methodology.
Other people named Willie
Other people with the surname Nelson
Willie Nelson: Questions and Answers
How many people are named Willie Nelson?
We estimate approximately 316 people named Willie Nelson are alive in the United States today. The first name Willie is shared by 219,365 Americans, and the surname Nelson is shared by 483,888.
How rare is the name Willie Nelson?
This name combination is classified as Uncommon, occurring at a rate of about 1 in 1,084,666 Americans. The first name Willie is common and the surname Nelson is common.
Is Willie a male or female name?
Willie is predominantly male, with 75.5% of bearers being male and 24.5% female. It peaked in popularity in 1925 and the average bearer today is 66 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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