Nicholas
Boy name · #112 in 2025 · Well-known
In 2025, 3,115 baby boys were named Nicholas, placing it at #112 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #62, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 578 boys born in 2025 was named Nicholas.
The 145-year story
Nicholas first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 73 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1995, when 29,160 boys were named Nicholas — good for #7 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Nicholas per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Nicholas against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Nicholas in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Nicholas is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Nicholas is most common
Geography matters for names, and Nicholas is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Nicholas is most common in RI (5.1 per 1,000), NJ (4.8 per 1,000), DE (4.8 per 1,000), CT (4.3 per 1,000), NY (3.7 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 2.1 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Nicholas is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Nicknames & related forms of Nicholas
Nicholas carries a whole family of nicknames and spellings — names that will feel like the same name in a classroom.
NicholasNickNickyNikolasNicolasNico
Counted as one name, the Nicholas family went to about 7,733 boys in 2025 — together they'd rank around #25, versus #112 for Nicholas alone.
Names like Nicholas
Statistically, parents drawn to Nicholas tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Nicolas, Nathaniel, Jonathan, Carlos, and Antonio.
NicolasNathanielJonathanCarlosAntonioZacharyJordanAustin
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Nicholas | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,115 | #112 |
| 2024 | 3,038 | #117 |
| 2023 | 3,261 | #109 |
| 2022 | 3,643 | #97 |
| 2021 | 3,866 | #92 |
| 2020 | 4,065 | #87 |
| 2019 | 4,642 | #78 |
| 2018 | 4,847 | #74 |
| 2017 | 5,372 | #68 |
| 2016 | 5,765 | #63 |
| 2015 | 6,263 | #62 |
| 2014 | 6,779 | #57 |
| 2013 | 7,147 | #54 |
| 2012 | 7,742 | #49 |
| 2011 | 8,601 | #42 |
| 2010 | 9,653 | #37 |
| 2009 | 10,856 | #32 |
| 2008 | 12,533 | #29 |
| 2007 | 14,362 | #20 |
| 2006 | 15,675 | #17 |
| 2005 | 17,076 | #15 |
| 2004 | 18,519 | #13 |
| 2003 | 19,696 | #12 |
| 2002 | 21,390 | #9 |
| 2001 | 22,849 | #6 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Nicholas a popular boy name?
Nicholas ranked #112 among boys in 2025 with 3,115 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #62.
When was the name Nicholas most popular?
Nicholas peaked in 1995, when 29,160 American boys received the name (ranked #7 that year). Since 1995 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Nicholas?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 578 newborn American boys was named Nicholas. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "well-known".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.