Nykolas
A masculine name of Greek origin meaning "victory of the people".
Name Census estimates that about 309 living Americans carry the first name Nykolas. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Nykolas today is around 22 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nykolas births was 2007 (24 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nykolas. 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
2007
24 babies that year
Average age
22
years old
2021 SSA rank
#13,527
Tracked since 1986
Popularity
Nykolas: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nykolas from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 159 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nykolas 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 Nykolas during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Nykolas' live
Origin
Meaning and history of Nykolas
The given name Nykolas has its origins in the Greek language and culture, dating back to ancient times. It is derived from the Greek words "nikos" meaning "victor" and "laos" meaning "people," thus signifying a person who is victorious among the people.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Nykolas can be traced back to the 4th century AD, when it was borne by several early Christian saints and martyrs. One of the most notable figures was Saint Nicholas of Myra, a 4th-century bishop renowned for his generosity and kindness, particularly towards children. His legacy has been celebrated across various cultures, leading to the modern-day Santa Claus tradition.
In the Byzantine Empire, the name Nykolas was popular among the ruling class and nobility. One prominent example is Nikolas I Mystikos, who served as the Patriarch of Constantinople from 901 to 907 AD and played a significant role in the religious and political affairs of the empire.
During the Renaissance period, the name gained popularity in Italy, where it was often spelled as "Niccolò" or "Nicola." One of the most famous bearers of the name was Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527), the renowned political philosopher and author of "The Prince," a seminal work on statecraft and political theory.
In Russia, the name Nykolas has a long-standing tradition, often spelled as "Nikolai" or "Nikolay." One notable figure was Nikolai Gogol (1809-1852), the influential Russian novelist and playwright known for his satirical works such as "Dead Souls" and "The Overcoat."
Another prominent bearer of the name was Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908), a Russian composer who played a pivotal role in the development of the Russian nationalist school of music. His works, including operas like "The Golden Cockerel" and orchestral suites like "Scheherazade," are celebrated for their rich orchestration and evocative melodies.
In more recent history, Nikolai Bukharin (1888-1938) was a prominent Bolshevik revolutionary and a close associate of Vladimir Lenin. He played a significant role in the early years of the Soviet Union before falling victim to Joseph Stalin's purges.
These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals who have borne the name Nykolas or its various variants throughout history, highlighting its enduring presence across cultures and its association with influential figures in various fields.
People
Nykolas + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nykolas 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
Nykolas: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nykolas?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 309 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nykolas 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 Nykolas a common name?
We classify Nykolas 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, 313 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nykolas most popular?
The single biggest year for Nykolas was 2007, when 24 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nykolas is about 22 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Nykolas a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nykolas 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.