Nelson is an English surname meaning "son of Neil" or "son of Nell"; Neil is an Irish name usually explained as "champion" or "cloud". Admiral Horatio Nelson, hero of Trafalgar, turned the surname into a first name, and Nelson Mandela made it known around the world. Nelson ranked number 414 in 2000, peaked at number 407 in 2001 and has drifted down to number 825 in 2025.