Find out how popular the first name Nickey has been for the last 35 years (from 1974 to 2008) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Nickey by gender

Based on the last 35 years of data, Nickey is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 62% of people named Nickey being male.

For the most recent data in 2008, there were 6 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Nickey.

The history of the first name Nickey

The name Nickey is a diminutive form of the masculine given name Nicholas, which has its origins in the Greek language. The name Nicholas is derived from the Greek words "nikē" meaning "victory" and "laos" meaning "people." Therefore, the name Nickey can be interpreted as "victor of the people" or "victorious among the people."

The name Nicholas gained widespread popularity due to its association with Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century Christian saint who was renowned for his generosity and kindness towards children. Saint Nicholas was the bishop of Myra, a city in modern-day Turkey, and his feast day is celebrated on December 6th in the Western Christian tradition.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nickey can be found in the 12th-century English text, "The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle," where it appears as a variant spelling of Nicholas. During the Middle Ages, the name Nickey was primarily used in England and other parts of the British Isles.

In the 14th century, a renowned English scholar and theologian named Nicholas Treveth, also known as Nickey Treveth, made significant contributions to the study of ancient Greek texts. He was born in Cornwall, England, around the year 1265.

Another notable figure with the name Nickey was Nickey Byrne, an Irish politician who served as a member of the Irish Parliament in the late 18th century. He was born in County Wicklow, Ireland, in 1748 and played a role in the Irish Patriot movement, which sought greater autonomy for Ireland within the British Empire.

In the 20th century, Nickey Rackard was a renowned Irish hurler who played for the Kilkenny senior hurling team. He was born in 1913 and is widely regarded as one of the greatest hurlers in the history of the sport, winning six All-Ireland Championship titles with Kilkenny.

Another notable figure with the name Nickey was Nickey Huntington, an American jazz drummer and bandleader who was active in the 1930s and 1940s. He was born in New York City in 1909 and made significant contributions to the development of the swing era in jazz music.

Throughout history, the name Nickey has been used as a diminutive form of Nicholas, reflecting its Greek roots and the enduring influence of Saint Nicholas on the popularity of the name. While not as common as the full name Nicholas, Nickey has been borne by several notable figures across various fields, reflecting its rich cultural heritage.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Nickey was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Nickey, please contact us.

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