NameChart

Nicholas

Boy name

Nicholas has been given to 929,199 babies in the U.S. since 1880. It peaked in 1995 and currently ranks #112 for boys (2025).

Meaning & origin /ˈnɪk.ə.ləs/

From Middle English Nicholas, from Old French Nicholas, from Latin Nīcolāus, from Ancient Greek Νικόλαος (Nikólaos), from νίκη (níkē, “victory”) +‎ λαός (laós, “people”).

Origin: Ancient Greek

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Popularity over time births per year, 1880–2025

07.29k14.58k21.87k29.16k 18801900192019401960198020002020 Girls Boys
Hover or tap the chart to read any year.

Total babies

929,199

Peak year

1995 (29,216 babies)

Rank in 2025

#112 for boys

First recorded

1880

10-year trend

▼ -50%

Gender split

0% girls / 100% boys

Famous people named Nicholas

Nicholas Hoult

English actor (born 1989)

Nick Jonas

American singer, actor and musician

Nick Nolte

American actor (born 1941)

Nicholas Sparks

American writer and novelist

Notability data from Wikidata (CC0).

Names with a similar vibe

Same primary gender, peaked around the same years, and roughly as common as Nicholas.

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