Nicolai
Boy name · #2581 in 2025 · Very rare
Nicolai ranks #2581 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 51 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1870, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 35,294 boys born in 2025 was named Nicolai.
The 63-year story
Nicolai first appears in the Social Security records in 1962, when 6 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2015, when 78 boys were named Nicolai — good for #1870 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 Nicolai per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Nicolai against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Nicolai in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Nicolai is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Nicolai will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Nicolai is most common
State-level data for Nicolai is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Nicolai
Statistically, parents drawn to Nicolai tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Naftali, Nakai, Dakarai, Malachai, and Nachman.
NaftaliNakaiDakaraiMalachaiNachmanMakhaiNiccoloNaftuli
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Nicolai | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 51 | #2572 |
| 2024 | 52 | #2559 |
| 2023 | 54 | #2480 |
| 2022 | 69 | #2136 |
| 2021 | 50 | #2588 |
| 2020 | 50 | #2546 |
| 2019 | 55 | #2421 |
| 2018 | 62 | #2210 |
| 2017 | 45 | #2715 |
| 2016 | 66 | #2110 |
| 2015 | 78 | #1870 |
| 2014 | 68 | #2063 |
| 2013 | 60 | #2182 |
| 2012 | 63 | #2132 |
| 2011 | 50 | #2478 |
| 2010 | 60 | #2187 |
| 2009 | 59 | #2231 |
| 2008 | 70 | #2001 |
| 2007 | 50 | #2504 |
| 2006 | 57 | #2221 |
| 2005 | 48 | #2399 |
| 2004 | 47 | #2376 |
| 2003 | 45 | #2349 |
| 2002 | 30 | #3022 |
| 2001 | 27 | #3228 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Nicolai a popular boy name?
Nicolai ranked #2581 among boys in 2025 with 51 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1870.
When was the name Nicolai most popular?
Nicolai peaked in 2015, when 78 American boys received the name (ranked #1870 that year). Since 2015 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Nicolai?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 35,294 newborn American boys was named Nicolai. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
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.