Nikan
A Turkish name derived from the Persian word "naykan" meaning "good" or "righteous".
Name Census estimates that about 129 living Americans carry the first name Nikan. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Nikan today is around 8 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nikan births was 2020 (15 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nikan. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Nikan with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
129
~ 1 in 2,657,010 Americans
Peak year
2020
15 babies that year
Average age
8
years old
2024 SSA rank
#7,575
Tracked since 2008
Popularity
Nikan: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nikan from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 68 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nikan 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 Nikan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Nikans live
Origin
Meaning and history of Nikan
The name Nikan has its origins in the Persian language and culture, tracing back to ancient times. It is derived from the Old Persian word "nikan," meaning "good" or "virtuous." This name is closely associated with the Zoroastrian religion and can be found in various ancient Persian texts and inscriptions.
During the Achaemenid Empire, which ruled over a vast territory from around 550 BCE to 330 BCE, the name Nikan was relatively common among the Persian nobility and upper class. One of the earliest recorded instances of this name can be found in the Behistun Inscription, a multilingual inscription carved on a rock face in present-day Iran, commissioned by the Achaemenid King Darius the Great (550-486 BCE).
In the Avestan scriptures, which are the central religious texts of Zoroastrianism, there are references to individuals bearing the name Nikan or its variations. For example, in the Yasna, one of the principal liturgical texts, there is mention of a character named Nika-Vakhsh, which translates to "Good Speech" or "Virtuous Speech."
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Nikan. One of the most prominent figures was Nikan ibn al-Munajjim (born around 915 CE), a renowned Persian astronomer and mathematician who made significant contributions to the development of astronomical tables and the study of celestial mechanics.
Another prominent bearer of the name was Nikan Dastpili (born around 1385 CE), a Persian poet and mystic who wrote extensively on spiritual themes and is considered one of the pioneers of the mystical poetry genre in Persian literature.
In the realm of music, Nikan Khosravi (born in 1933) was a celebrated Iranian singer and composer who played a significant role in preserving and promoting traditional Persian music. He was awarded the prestigious Kowkab Honar (Star of Art) award for his contributions to the art form.
During the Sassanid Empire, which ruled over ancient Persia from 224 CE to 651 CE, the name Nikan was also found among members of the royal family. One such example is Nikan Khusraw (born around 550 CE), a Sassanid prince and military commander who played a crucial role in the defense of the empire against invading forces.
Another historical figure worth mentioning is Nikan Farhad (born in the 9th century CE), a renowned Persian architect and engineer who is credited with the construction of several remarkable bridges, caravanserais, and other architectural marvels during the Abbasid Caliphate.
People
Nikan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nikan 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
Nikan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nikan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 129 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nikan 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 2,657,010 US residents.
Is Nikan a common name?
We classify Nikan as "Very Rare". It ranks above 68.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 130 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nikan most popular?
The single biggest year for Nikan was 2020, when 15 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nikan is about 8 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 Nikan in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Nikan a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nikan 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 Nikan still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Nikan 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 Nikan 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 people have Nikan as a first name?
For a quick modern take, check how many people share the name Nikan on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.