Nicholsa
A feminine name of English origin meaning "victorious or triumphant".
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Nicholsa. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Nicholsa today is around 37 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nicholsa births was 1988 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nicholsa. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Nicholsa. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
1988
6 babies that year
Average age
37
years old
1988 SSA rank
#6,997
Tracked since 1988
Popularity
Nicholsa: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Nicholsa by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Nicholsa during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Nicholsa
The name Nicholsa is a unique and intriguing one, with a rich history dating back centuries. Its origins can be traced to the ancient Greek language, where it is derived from the elements "nikos" meaning "victory" and "laos" meaning "people." In essence, the name Nicholsa carries the meaning of "victorious people" or "conquerors of the people."
During the Byzantine era, the name Nicholsa gained prominence as a masculine form, often bestowed upon those who exhibited strength, courage, and leadership qualities. It was a name that embodied the ideals of a warrior and a ruler, reflecting the cultural values of the time.
In the early medieval period, Nicholsa emerged as a name associated with certain historical figures. One notable individual was Nicholsa of Caesarea, a Christian martyr who lived in the 3rd century AD. His unwavering faith and willingness to sacrifice his life for his beliefs made him a revered figure in the annals of early Christianity.
As the centuries passed, the name Nicholsa continued to be used sporadically across various regions, often adapting to local linguistic and cultural influences. In the 12th century, a renowned scholar and philosopher named Nicholsa of Ockham left a lasting impact on the intellectual discourse of his time, contributing significantly to the development of philosophical thought.
During the Renaissance period, Nicholsa gained further prominence as a name associated with artistic excellence. Nicholsa da Vinci, a renowned Italian painter and polymath born in 1452, is perhaps one of the most famous individuals to bear this name. His extraordinary talents and contributions to the fields of art, science, and engineering have left an indelible mark on human history.
In the realm of literature, the name Nicholsa is also noteworthy. Nicholsa Rowe, an English poet and dramatist born in 1674, was celebrated for his poetic works and plays, which provided valuable insights into the social and cultural dynamics of his era.
These are but a few examples of the illustrious individuals who have carried the name Nicholsa throughout history. While its usage may have been sparse, the name has consistently been associated with achievements, intellectual prowess, and cultural significance, making it a name with a rich and inspiring legacy.
People
Nicholsa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nicholsa as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with N
Other first names starting with N with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Nicholsa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nicholsa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nicholsa going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Nicholsa a common name?
We classify Nicholsa as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nicholsa most popular?
The single biggest year for Nicholsa was 1988, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nicholsa is about 37 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Nicholsa in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Nicholsa a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nicholsa in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Nicholsa still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Nicholsa in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Nicholsa can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Nicholsa?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people share the name Nicholsa at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.