Nels

Nels is a given name. Notable people with the given name include:


 * Nels Anderson (1889–1986), American sociologist
 * Nels Andrews, American folk singer
 * Nels Cline (born 1956), American guitarist and composer
 * Nels Crutchfield (1911–1985), Canadian ice hockey player
 * Nels F. S. Ferré (1908-1971), Swedish-born American theologian
 * Nels Holman (1861–1946), American newspaper editor, businessman, and politician
 * Nels Jacobson (born 1949), American artist and poster art historian
 * Nels Johnson (1838-1915), Danish-born American clockmaker
 * Nels C. Nelson (1875–1964), Danish-American archaeologist
 * Nels Nelson (politician) (1917–1992), Canadian politician
 * Nels Nelsen (1894–1943), Norwegian–Canadian ski jumper
 * Nels David Nelson (1918–2003), American mathematician and logician
 * Nels S.D. Peterson (born 1978), American lawyer and jurist
 * Nels Pierson (born 1972), American politician
 * Nels Podolsky (1923–2007), Canadian ice hockey player
 * Nels Potter (1911–1990), American baseball player
 * Nels Running (born 1941), retired United States Air Force Major General
 * Nels H. Smith (1884–1976), American politician
 * Nels J. Smith (born 1939), American politician
 * Nels Stewart (1902–1957), Canadian ice hockey player
 * Nels Swandal, American politician
 * Nels Wold (1895–1918), United States Army soldier