Niklaus
Boy name · #1407 in 2025 · Very rare
Niklaus is currently the #1407 boy name in the United States — 130 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1581, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 13,846 boys born in 2025 was named Niklaus.
The 46-year story
Niklaus first appears in the Social Security records in 1979, when 8 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2021, when 282 boys were named Niklaus — good for #842 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 Niklaus per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Niklaus against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Niklaus in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Niklaus is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Niklaus will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Niklaus is most common
State-level data for Niklaus 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 Niklaus
Statistically, parents drawn to Niklaus tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Klaus, Kassius, Perseus, Genesis, and Amadeus.
KlausKassiusPerseusGenesisAmadeusIgnatiusKaiusZeus
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Niklaus | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 130 | #1401 |
| 2024 | 163 | #1231 |
| 2023 | 185 | #1137 |
| 2022 | 236 | #959 |
| 2021 | 282 | #842 |
| 2020 | 255 | #886 |
| 2019 | 221 | #968 |
| 2018 | 183 | #1079 |
| 2017 | 156 | #1191 |
| 2016 | 118 | #1456 |
| 2015 | 102 | #1581 |
| 2014 | 63 | #2154 |
| 2013 | 37 | #2998 |
| 2012 | 14 | #6001 |
| 2010 | 7 | #9693 |
| 2009 | 6 | #10994 |
| 2008 | 5 | #12553 |
| 2007 | 10 | #7590 |
| 2006 | 16 | #5303 |
| 2005 | 7 | #9115 |
| 2004 | 13 | #5813 |
| 2003 | 11 | #6258 |
| 2002 | 12 | #5725 |
| 2001 | 9 | #6935 |
| 2000 | 13 | #5297 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Niklaus a popular boy name?
Niklaus ranked #1407 among boys in 2025 with 130 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1581.
When was the name Niklaus most popular?
Niklaus peaked in 2021, when 282 American boys received the name (ranked #842 that year). Since 2021 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Niklaus?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 13,846 newborn American boys was named Niklaus. 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.