Nikea
A name of Greek origin meaning "victory."
Name Census estimates that about 309 living Americans carry the first name Nikea. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Nikea today is around 40 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nikea births was 1984 (24 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nikea. 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
309
~ 1 in 1,109,237 Americans
Peak year
1984
24 babies that year
Average age
40
years old
2004 SSA rank
#18,049
Tracked since 1975
Popularity
Nikea: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nikea from the 1970s through to the 2000s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 144 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nikea 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 Nikea during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Nikeas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Nikea
The name Nikea is of Greek origin, derived from the word "nike," meaning "victory" in ancient Greek. Its roots can be traced back to the mythological goddess Nike, the personification of victory in Greek mythology.
The earliest recorded use of the name Nikea can be found in ancient Greek texts, where it was often given to female children as a way to bestow upon them the blessings of triumph and success. In the 5th century BCE, the Greek historian Herodotus mentioned a woman named Nikea in his writings, suggesting the name's usage during that period.
One of the most notable historical figures bearing the name Nikea was a Greek woman who lived in the 4th century BCE. She was a renowned philosopher and mathematician, known for her contributions to the field of geometry. Unfortunately, little is known about her life beyond her intellectual pursuits.
In the Byzantine era, Nikea held particular significance as it was the name of a city located in the northwestern region of modern-day Turkey. The city played a crucial role in the history of the Byzantine Empire and was the site of several important ecclesiastical councils.
During the Middle Ages, the name Nikea gained popularity among Orthodox Christian communities, particularly in Eastern Europe and Russia. This was likely due to its association with the concept of victory, which resonated with the spirit of religious and military conquests of that era.
In the 12th century, a Russian princess named Nikea was known for her philanthropy and patronage of the arts. She founded several monasteries and churches, leaving a lasting legacy in the cultural and religious landscape of medieval Russia.
Another notable figure was Nikea of Thessaloniki, a 14th-century Byzantine saint renowned for her piety and miraculous healings. She is venerated in the Eastern Orthodox Church and is celebrated on November 23rd.
In the Renaissance period, the name Nikea was revived among humanist scholars who drew inspiration from classical Greek literature and culture. One such figure was Nikea Mirabilis, a 16th-century Italian poet and writer who gained recognition for her lyrical compositions.
As the name Nikea spread across different cultures and regions, its spelling and pronunciation variations emerged, such as Nikia, Nikeia, and Nikaya. However, the core meaning of "victory" remained consistent throughout its evolution.
People
Nikea + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nikea 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
Nikea: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nikea?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 309 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nikea 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 1,109,237 US residents.
Is Nikea a common name?
We classify Nikea as "Very Rare". It ranks above 79.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 328 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nikea most popular?
The single biggest year for Nikea was 1984, when 24 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nikea is about 40 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Nikea a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nikea in the SSA data are female. 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.