Nico
Boy name · #174 in 2025 · Well-known
How old is the name Nico? In official American birth records, Nico has been tracked continuously since 1960, giving it 65 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 2,066 baby boys were named Nico, placing it at #174 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #464, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 871 boys born in 2025 was named Nico.
The 65-year story
Nico first appears in the Social Security records in 1960, when 6 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 2,066 babies and a rank of #174. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. 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 Nico per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Nico against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Nico in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Nico 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 Nico is most common
Geography matters for names, and Nico is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Nico is most common in DC (5.9 per 1,000), RI (3.8 per 1,000), NJ (3.1 per 1,000), CT (3 per 1,000), MA (2.4 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 1.4 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Nico is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Nicknames & related forms of Nico
Nico belongs to the Nicholas family — closely related nicknames and spellings of the same name.
NicholasNickNickyNikolasNicolasNico
Counted as one name, the Nicholas family went to about 7,733 boys in 2025 — together they'd rank around #25, versus #174 for Nico alone.
Names like Nico
Statistically, parents drawn to Nico tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Niko, Arlo, Otto, Milo, and Jett.
NikoArloOttoMiloJettEmilioNashMatteo
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Nico | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,066 | #174 |
| 2024 | 1,686 | #211 |
| 2023 | 1,468 | #240 |
| 2022 | 1,474 | #237 |
| 2021 | 1,359 | #259 |
| 2020 | 1,045 | #318 |
| 2019 | 929 | #355 |
| 2018 | 844 | #382 |
| 2017 | 755 | #412 |
| 2016 | 611 | #496 |
| 2015 | 652 | #464 |
| 2014 | 651 | #454 |
| 2013 | 567 | #487 |
| 2012 | 501 | #523 |
| 2011 | 530 | #494 |
| 2010 | 422 | #593 |
| 2009 | 452 | #583 |
| 2008 | 366 | #662 |
| 2007 | 348 | #683 |
| 2006 | 342 | #665 |
| 2005 | 273 | #739 |
| 2004 | 282 | #694 |
| 2003 | 238 | #752 |
| 2002 | 248 | #714 |
| 2001 | 193 | #840 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Nico?
In official American birth records, the name Nico first appeared in 1960 (over 65 years ago), when 6 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 65 years.
Is Nico a popular boy name?
Nico ranked #174 among boys in 2025 with 2,066 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #464.
When was the name Nico most popular?
Nico peaked in 2025, when 2,066 American boys received the name (ranked #174 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Nico?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 871 newborn American boys was named Nico. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.