Nike
The name Nike is derived from the Greek goddess of victory.
Name Census estimates that about 303 living Americans carry the first name Nike. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 52.2% of registrations being male. The average person named Nike today is around 23 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nike births was 1996 (27 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nike. 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.
People living today
303
~ 1 in 1,131,202 Americans
Peak year
1996
27 babies that year
Average age
23
years old
2024 SSA rank
#10,567
Tracked since 1953
Gender
Gender distribution for Nike
Nike is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 314 total registrations, 164 (52.2%) were male and 150 (47.8%) were female.
Nike as a male name
- Ranked #10,567 in 2024
- 7 male births in 2024
- Peak: 1996 (18 births)
Nike as a female name
- Ranked #16,947 in 2024
- 5 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2023 (10 births)
Popularity
Nike: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nike from the 1950s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 90 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1990s peak, Nike remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nike 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 Nike during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Nike
The name Nike has its origins in ancient Greek mythology and language. It is derived from the Greek word "nike," which means "victory." The name was originally associated with the Greek goddess of victory, Nike, who was a prominent figure in ancient Greek religion and culture.
In Greek mythology, Nike was often depicted as a winged figure, symbolizing the swiftness and speed associated with victory. She was considered a daughter of the Titans Pallas and Styx and was often portrayed alongside other deities, such as Zeus and Athena, representing their triumphs in battle and other endeavors.
The name Nike can be traced back to ancient Greek texts and literature, including works by Homer and Hesiod. It was a popular name among the ancient Greeks, who revered the concept of victory and viewed Nike as a powerful and inspiring figure.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Nike can be found in the writings of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who lived in the 5th century BCE. He mentions a woman named Nike who played a significant role in the Persian Wars.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Nike. One of the most famous was Nike of Samothrace, a sculptor from the 2nd century BCE whose iconic statue, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, is considered a masterpiece of Hellenistic art.
Another notable figure was Nike of Byzantium, a 5th-century CE philosopher and mathematician who made significant contributions to the field of geometry and was renowned for her work on conic sections.
In the Renaissance period, Nike Michielli (1430-1491) was an Italian painter and one of the few female artists of her time to achieve recognition for her work.
More recently, Nike Loranger (1904-1990) was a Canadian writer and poet who was instrumental in promoting French-Canadian literature and culture.
Additionally, Nike Wagner (1945-2014) was a German actress and singer known for her roles in numerous films and television shows, including the popular German crime series "Tatort."
The name Nike has endured throughout the ages, carrying with it the powerful symbolism of victory and triumph that was so revered in ancient Greek culture.
People
Nike + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nike 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
Nike: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nike?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 303 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nike 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 1,131,202 US residents.
Is Nike a common name?
We classify Nike as "Very Rare". It ranks above 79.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 314 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nike most popular?
The single biggest year for Nike was 1996, when 27 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nike is about 23 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Nike a male name?
Yes, 52.2% of people registered as Nike 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.
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.