Nikolai
Boy name · #605 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Nikolai? In official American birth records, Nikolai has been tracked continuously since 1960, giving it 65 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 469 baby boys were named Nikolai, placing it at #605 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #474, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 3,838 boys born in 2025 was named Nikolai.
The 65-year story
Nikolai first appears in the Social Security records in 1960, when 6 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2016, when 639 boys were named Nikolai — good for #480 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 Nikolai per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Nikolai against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Nikolai in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Nikolai is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Nikolai will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Nikolai is most common
Geography matters for names, and Nikolai is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Nikolai is most common in UT (0.5 per 1,000), CO (0.5 per 1,000), WA (0.5 per 1,000), PA (0.4 per 1,000), FL (0.4 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.3 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Nikolai is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Nikolai
Statistically, parents drawn to Nikolai tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Makai, Mordechai, Gianni, Damari, and Omari.
MakaiMordechaiGianniDamariOmariArmaniMalikaiCassius
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Nikolai | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 469 | #605 |
| 2024 | 484 | #593 |
| 2023 | 470 | #602 |
| 2022 | 491 | #582 |
| 2021 | 622 | #480 |
| 2020 | 521 | #545 |
| 2019 | 554 | #514 |
| 2018 | 614 | #473 |
| 2017 | 573 | #507 |
| 2016 | 639 | #480 |
| 2015 | 629 | #474 |
| 2014 | 516 | #539 |
| 2013 | 436 | #585 |
| 2012 | 421 | #601 |
| 2011 | 365 | #640 |
| 2010 | 313 | #732 |
| 2009 | 299 | #760 |
| 2008 | 231 | #899 |
| 2007 | 208 | #949 |
| 2006 | 163 | #1081 |
| 2005 | 162 | #1035 |
| 2004 | 141 | #1124 |
| 2003 | 124 | #1190 |
| 2002 | 116 | #1200 |
| 2001 | 108 | #1231 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Nikolai?
In official American birth records, the name Nikolai 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 Nikolai a popular boy name?
Nikolai ranked #605 among boys in 2025 with 469 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #474.
When was the name Nikolai most popular?
Nikolai peaked in 2016, when 639 American boys received the name (ranked #480 that year). Since 2016 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Nikolai?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 3,838 newborn American boys was named Nikolai. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.