Nikeia
Feminine form of Nicaea, derived from the Greek word for "victory".
Name Census estimates that about 58 living Americans carry the first name Nikeia. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Nikeia today is around 44 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nikeia births was 1978 (11 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nikeia. 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 Nikeia. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
58
~ 1 in 5,909,558 Americans
Peak year
1978
11 babies that year
Average age
44
years old
1991 SSA rank
#14,702
Tracked since 1977
Popularity
Nikeia: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nikeia from the 1970s through to the 1990s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 35 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
Nikeia 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 Nikeia 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 Nikeia
The name Nikeia is of Greek origin, deriving from the Greek word "nike," which means "victory." Its roots can be traced back to ancient Greece, where it was commonly used as a name to signify triumph, success, and overcoming adversity.
In ancient Greek mythology, Nike was the winged goddess of victory, often depicted alongside the mighty Zeus and other Olympian deities. The name Nikeia was likely bestowed upon children as a symbol of strength and the hope of a victorious life.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nikeia can be found in the writings of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who lived in the 5th century BC. He mentions a woman named Nikeia who was a priestess in the city of Delphi, renowned for her wisdom and spiritual guidance.
Throughout the centuries, several notable figures have borne the name Nikeia. In the 4th century BC, Nikeia of Locri was a celebrated philosopher and mathematician, known for her contributions to the study of geometry and her teachings on the nature of the universe.
During the Byzantine era, Nikeia Palaiologina (1263-1299) was a prominent figure at the court of the Byzantine Empire. As the daughter of Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos, she played a crucial role in forging political alliances and fostering cultural exchange between the East and West.
In the realm of literature, Nikeia Theodoraki (1894-1976) was a renowned Greek poet and author, whose works explored the depths of human emotion and the complexities of modern life. Her poetry collections, such as "Songs of the Heart," gained widespread acclaim and influenced generations of writers.
Another notable figure was Nikeia Kyriakopoulou (1920-2010), a pioneering Greek physicist and academic. Her groundbreaking research in nuclear physics and her dedication to advancing scientific education earned her numerous accolades and international recognition.
In the world of sports, Nikeia Drakou (1961-) was a celebrated Greek sprinter and Olympic medalist. Her remarkable achievements on the track, including multiple gold and silver medals at the Olympic Games and World Championships, made her a national hero and an inspiration to aspiring athletes worldwide.
People
Nikeia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nikeia 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
Nikeia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nikeia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 58 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nikeia 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 5,909,558 US residents.
Is Nikeia a common name?
We classify Nikeia as "Very Rare". It ranks above 56.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 62 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nikeia most popular?
The single biggest year for Nikeia was 1978, when 11 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nikeia is about 44 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 Nikeia in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Nikeia a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nikeia 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.
Is Nikeia still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Nikeia 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 Nikeia 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 common is the name Nikeia?
See how many people share the name Nikeia on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.