Nicole
Girl name · #382 in 2025 · Distinctive
In 2025, 803 baby girls were named Nicole, placing it at #382 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #154, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,242 girls born in 2025 was named Nicole.
The 88-year story
Nicole first appears in the Social Security records in 1937, when 9 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1985, when 22,966 girls were named Nicole — 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 Nicole per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Nicole against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Nicole in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Nicole is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Nicole is most common
Geography matters for names, and Nicole is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Nicole is most common in FL (1.1 per 1,000), IL (1.1 per 1,000), AZ (0.9 per 1,000), WA (0.9 per 1,000), CA (0.8 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.6 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Nicole is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Nicole
Statistically, parents drawn to Nicole tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Danielle, Alicia, Janelle, Katie, and Amanda.
DanielleAliciaJanelleKatieAmandaVanessaHollyRachel
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Nicole | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 803 | #382 |
| 2024 | 964 | #318 |
| 2023 | 942 | #326 |
| 2022 | 996 | #323 |
| 2021 | 955 | #341 |
| 2020 | 1,163 | #266 |
| 2019 | 1,365 | #229 |
| 2018 | 1,429 | #217 |
| 2017 | 1,664 | #184 |
| 2016 | 1,954 | #162 |
| 2015 | 2,116 | #154 |
| 2014 | 2,540 | #128 |
| 2013 | 3,352 | #91 |
| 2012 | 2,661 | #114 |
| 2011 | 2,655 | #117 |
| 2010 | 2,570 | #123 |
| 2009 | 2,770 | #119 |
| 2008 | 3,291 | #106 |
| 2007 | 3,873 | #86 |
| 2006 | 4,322 | #74 |
| 2005 | 4,993 | #56 |
| 2004 | 5,741 | #43 |
| 2003 | 6,238 | #40 |
| 2002 | 6,974 | #37 |
| 2001 | 7,820 | #36 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Nicole a popular girl name?
Nicole ranked #382 among girls in 2025 with 803 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #154.
When was the name Nicole most popular?
Nicole peaked in 1985, when 22,966 American girls received the name (ranked #7 that year). Since 1985 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Nicole?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,242 newborn American girls was named Nicole. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
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.