Nyrek
A unique name of unknown origin and meaning.
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Nyrek. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Nyrek today is around 22 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nyrek births was 2004 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nyrek. 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 Nyrek. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2004
5 babies that year
Average age
22
years old
2004 SSA rank
#12,693
Tracked since 2004
Popularity
Nyrek: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Nyrek 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 Nyrek during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Nyrek
The given name Nyrek is a rare and unusual name that has its origins in Eastern Europe, specifically in the region of present-day Poland and Ukraine. The name is believed to have originated from a Slavic root word, possibly derived from the Old Polish or Old East Slavic languages, although its exact etymology remains uncertain.
Nyrek is thought to have been in use as early as the 10th or 11th century, during the medieval period. It is likely that the name was initially borne by individuals from noble or aristocratic families in the region, as many traditional Slavic names were associated with the upper classes and nobility.
Unfortunately, there are no known historical references or mentions of the name Nyrek in ancient texts, religious scriptures, or extensive historical records from that time period. This is not surprising given the relative obscurity of the name and the limited documentation available from medieval Eastern Europe.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Nyrek are found in Polish and Ukrainian genealogical records and family histories from the 16th and 17th centuries. One notable individual was Nyrek Żurawski, a Polish nobleman and landowner who lived in the late 16th century and was involved in local politics and governance.
Another individual of note was Nyrek Hulevych, a Ukrainian Cossack soldier and military leader who fought against the Ottoman Empire in the early 17th century. He is mentioned in several accounts of the Cossack campaigns and battles of that era.
In the 18th century, there was a Polish artist and painter named Nyrek Kwiatkowski, who was known for his intricate portraits and landscapes. Unfortunately, very few of his works have survived to the present day.
Moving into the 19th century, Nyrek Oleksandrovych was a Ukrainian writer and poet who published a collection of folk tales and verse inspired by the rural landscapes and traditions of his homeland.
Finally, in the early 20th century, Nyrek Kovalenko was a Ukrainian political activist and advocate for workers' rights. He was involved in various labor movements and protests against the ruling regimes of the time.
While the name Nyrek has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, these individuals serve as examples of its usage and illustrate its ties to the cultural and historical roots of Eastern Europe.
People
Nyrek + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nyrek 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
Nyrek: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nyrek?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nyrek 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 Nyrek a common name?
We classify Nyrek 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 Nyrek most popular?
The single biggest year for Nyrek was 2004, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nyrek is about 22 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 Nyrek in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Nyrek a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nyrek 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 Nyrek still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Nyrek 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 Nyrek 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 are called Nyrek?
You can see how many people share the name Nyrek on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.