Nikolo
Of Greek origin meaning "victory of the people".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Nikolo. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Nikolo today is around 5 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nikolo births was 2021 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nikolo. 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 Nikolo. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2021
5 babies that year
Average age
5
years old
2021 SSA rank
#13,501
Tracked since 2021
Popularity
Nikolo: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Nikolo 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 Nikolo during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Nikolo
The name Nikolo is derived from the Greek name Nikolaos, which means "victor of the people." This name has its origins in Ancient Greece, dating back to the 5th century BC. The name Nikolaos was formed by combining the Greek words "nikos," meaning victory, and "laos," meaning people.
One of the earliest and most notable figures to bear this name was Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century Christian saint and Greek bishop of Myra in Lycia (modern-day Turkey). He is revered as the patron saint of children, sailors, and several other groups. The name Nikolo is a variation of the name Nicholas, which was popularized by Saint Nicholas.
In the Byzantine Empire, the name Nikolaos was widely used, and several Byzantine emperors bore this name, including Nikolo I (reigned 820-829 AD) and Nikolo II (reigned 963-969 AD). These rulers played significant roles in the history of the Byzantine Empire and helped spread the popularity of the name throughout the region.
During the Middle Ages, the name Nikolo gained popularity across Europe, particularly in Italy, where it was often spelled as Niccolò. One of the most famous bearers of this name was Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527), the renowned Italian Renaissance philosopher, writer, and political theorist, known for his influential work "The Prince."
Another notable figure with the name Nikolo was Nikolo Paganini (1782-1840), an Italian violinist and composer widely regarded as one of the greatest violin virtuosos of all time. His virtuosic playing and innovative techniques revolutionized the art of violin performance.
In Russia, the name Nikolo has been popular for centuries, often spelled as Nikolai or Nikolay. One of the most famous Russian figures with this name was Nikolai Gogol (1809-1852), a renowned novelist, playwright, and short story writer, best known for his works such as "Dead Souls" and "The Overcoat."
These are just a few examples of notable historical figures who bore the name Nikolo or its variations. The name has a rich history spanning cultures and centuries, reflecting its enduring popularity and significance across various regions and time periods.
People
Nikolo + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nikolo 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
Nikolo: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nikolo?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nikolo 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Nikolo a common name?
We classify Nikolo as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nikolo most popular?
The single biggest year for Nikolo was 2021, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nikolo is about 5 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 Nikolo in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Nikolo a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nikolo 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 Nikolo still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Nikolo 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 Nikolo 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 share the name Nikolo?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.