Nicholas

#10,917 for girls in 2025, 8 births · #112 for boys in 2025, 3,115 births
Given to boys 99.7% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
1999 · 25,639 births
Debut · boys
73 births
In top 100 · boys
51 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · boys
926,047
since 1880

Nicholas over time

boys

Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100rank188019001920194019601980200020201989peak #5, 1999boys
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#10,9178#1123,115
2024—#1173,038
2023—#1093,261
2022#13,5926#973,643
2021—#923,866
2020#15,0885#874,065
2019#11,3568#784,642
2018—#744,847
2017#14,1246#685,372
2016#14,3316#635,765
2015#13,0067#626,263
2014#8,96612#576,779
2013#8,58013#547,147
2012#12,1998#497,742
2011#7,78315#428,601
2010#9,79011#379,653
2009#7,06618#3210,856
2008#6,35021#2912,533
2007#8,52014#2014,362
2006#7,48216#1715,675
2005#5,26624#1517,076
2004#2,37072#1318,519
2003#3,29144#1219,696
2002#3,46139#921,390
2001#3,70335#622,849
2000#3,40439#624,653
1999#3,24539#525,639
1998#3,22238#626,632
1997#2,51151#627,258
1996#2,45152#627,724
1995#2,34556#729,160
1994#2,07966#927,770
1993#1,65391#828,114
1992#1,79880#1227,762
1991#1,76681#1227,357
1990#1,97469#1427,913
1989#1,288122#1428,230
1988#1,132135#1425,303
1987#983160#1623,247
1986#1,097135#1722,800
1985#957162#1922,384
1984#988146#2021,017
1983#1,037135#2119,891
1982#1,058136#2219,643
1981#1,114124#2119,775
1980#1,030139#1721,018
1979#1,012140#1521,344
1978#1,169108#2516,342
1977#2,51534#516,071
1976#3,40720#773,466
1975#2,96924#813,319
1974#3,21221#803,218
1973#3,78716#853,153
1972#3,71416#992,843
1971#3,06222#1232,608
1970#6,3627#1232,704
1969#5,4568#1232,577
1968#3,31516#1182,548
1967#3,84512#1302,288
1966#5,2737#1392,139
1965#5,2897#1492,068
1964—#1582,069
1963#4,27210#1552,130
1962—#1552,144
1961#4,8828#1582,078
1960—#1532,298
1959#5,5666#1562,196
1958#4,1939#1532,189
1957#4,9187#1522,197
1956#5,3256#1472,212
1955#4,3768#1412,186
1954#3,49011#1342,368
1953#5,6735#1312,359
1952—#1272,343
1951—#1202,388
1950—#1242,176
1949#5,2445#1361,998
1948#5,2435#1421,929
1947—#1431,935
1946—#1441,675
1945#4,0256#1511,357
1944—#1501,361
1943#4,1966#1481,434
1942—#1421,500
1941#3,9546#1461,212
1940—#1541,102
1939—#1561,032
1938#4,3425#161989
1937—#159935
1936—#157929
1935—#158911
1934—#165873
1933#3,4067#160888
1932#3,9016#163925
1931#3,2268#1451,103
1930#2,30614#1471,131
1929#2,43713#1421,192
1928#3,7437#1401,216
1927#2,69912#1371,272
1926#2,25716#1331,319
1925#4,0287#1331,332
1924#2,66113#1221,488
1923#4,9675#1201,468
1922#4,0117#1221,414
1921#4,4646#1141,553
1920#4,3986#1241,354
1919#3,8177#1221,321
1918—#1131,488
1917#4,0836#1091,412
1916#3,5527#1071,419
1915—#1041,427
1914—#1021,151
1913—#110796
1912—#113676
1911—#120308
1910—#137235
1909—#133204
1908—#113226
1907—#143161
1906—#143144
1905—#171112
1904—#177102
1903—#18490
1902—#156112
1901—#16888
1900—#19995
1899—#19669
1898—#17294
1897—#17787
1896—#156106
1895—#18784
1894—#19277
1893—#16289
1892—#16695
1891—#16478
1890—#17578
1889—#19168
1888—#15797
1887—#15779
1886—#16285
1885—#19566
1884—#19369
1883—#17471
1882—#19366
1881—#20356
1880—#17773
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Nicholas was already there! It came in at #177, and was given to 73 baby boys.


Quietest stretch: 1880–1885, when fewer than 74 boys a year got the name.

Where Nicholas is popular in 1989

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #14 for boys · 63 births · 1 in 69 boysAKMaine: #6 for boys · 188 births · 1 in 41 boysMEVermont: #8 for boys · 85 births · 1 in 40 boysVTNew Hampshire: #5 for boys · 249 births · 1 in 32 boysNHWashington: #8 for boys · 632 births · 1 in 54 boysWAIdaho: #15 for boys · 98 births · 1 in 68 boysIDMontana: #20 for boys · 56 births · 1 in 82 boysMTNorth Dakota: #7 for boys · 96 births · 1 in 48 boysNDMinnesota: #4 for boys · 773 births · 1 in 41 boysMNIllinois: #7 for boys · 1,559 births · 1 in 56 boysILWisconsin: #5 for boys · 774 births · 1 in 43 boysWIMichigan: #7 for boys · 1,371 births · 1 in 51 boysMINew York: #10 for boys · 2,276 births · 1 in 59 boysNYMassachusetts: #6 for boys · 1,055 births · 1 in 41 boysMARhode Island: #5 for boys · 180 births · 1 in 36 boysRIOregon: #6 for boys · 365 births · 1 in 53 boysORNevada: #8 for boys · 161 births · 1 in 50 boysNVWyoming: #15 for boys · 43 births · 1 in 56 boysWYSouth Dakota: #9 for boys · 99 births · 1 in 47 boysSDIowa: #6 for boys · 416 births · 1 in 44 boysIAIndiana: #8 for boys · 736 births · 1 in 54 boysINOhio: #9 for boys · 1,454 births · 1 in 54 boysOHPennsylvania: #14 for boys · 1,317 births · 1 in 62 boysPANew Jersey: #15 for boys · 908 births · 1 in 61 boysNJConnecticut: #12 for boys · 415 births · 1 in 53 boysCTCalifornia: #14 for boys · 3,278 births · 1 in 82 boysCAUtah: #14 for boys · 227 births · 1 in 73 boysUTColorado: #8 for boys · 452 births · 1 in 54 boysCONebraska: #6 for boys · 243 births · 1 in 45 boysNEMissouri: #7 for boys · 696 births · 1 in 54 boysMOKentucky: #16 for boys · 344 births · 1 in 71 boysKYWest Virginia: #25 for boys · 123 births · 1 in 83 boysWVVirginia: #18 for boys · 502 births · 1 in 83 boysVAMaryland: #16 for boys · 508 births · 1 in 63 boysMDDelaware: #18 for boys · 71 births · 1 in 66 boysDEArizona: #11 for boys · 454 births · 1 in 67 boysAZNew Mexico: #23 for boys · 113 births · 1 in 103 boysNMKansas: #12 for boys · 278 births · 1 in 61 boysKSArkansas: #21 for boys · 176 births · 1 in 87 boysARTennessee: #19 for boys · 383 births · 1 in 90 boysTNNorth Carolina: #17 for boys · 513 births · 1 in 90 boysNCSouth Carolina: #23 for boys · 223 births · 1 in 106 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #27 for boys · 91 births · 1 in 144 boysDCOklahoma: #21 for boys · 245 births · 1 in 84 boysOKLouisiana: #15 for boys · 376 births · 1 in 85 boysLAMississippi: #23 for boys · 145 births · 1 in 118 boysMSAlabama: #18 for boys · 292 births · 1 in 93 boysALGeorgia: #16 for boys · 580 births · 1 in 85 boysGAHawaii: #14 for boys · 98 births · 1 in 70 boysHITexas: #22 for boys · 1,282 births · 1 in 116 boysTXFlorida: #17 for boys · 1,168 births · 1 in 76 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Minnesota#4 · 1 in 41
  2. New Hampshire#5 · 1 in 32
  3. Rhode Island#5 · 1 in 36
  4. Wisconsin#5 · 1 in 43
  5. Maine#6 · 1 in 41

Best ever in a state: #1 in Maine, 1992.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Minnesota#47731 in 41
New Hampshire#52491 in 32
Rhode Island#51801 in 36
Wisconsin#57741 in 43
Iowa#64161 in 44
Maine#61881 in 41
Massachusetts#61,0551 in 41
Nebraska#62431 in 45
Oregon#63651 in 53
Illinois#71,5591 in 56
Michigan#71,3711 in 51
Missouri#76961 in 54
North Dakota#7961 in 48
Colorado#84521 in 54
Indiana#87361 in 54
Nevada#81611 in 50
Vermont#8851 in 40
Washington#86321 in 54
Ohio#91,4541 in 54
South Dakota#9991 in 47
New York#102,2761 in 59
Arizona#114541 in 67
Connecticut#124151 in 53
Kansas#122781 in 61
Alaska#14631 in 69
California#143,2781 in 82
Hawaii#14981 in 70
Pennsylvania#141,3171 in 62
Utah#142271 in 73
Idaho#15981 in 68
Louisiana#153761 in 85
New Jersey#159081 in 61
Wyoming#15431 in 56
Georgia#165801 in 85
Kentucky#163441 in 71
Maryland#165081 in 63
Florida#171,1681 in 76
North Carolina#175131 in 90
Alabama#182921 in 93
Delaware#18711 in 66
Virginia#185021 in 83
Tennessee#193831 in 90
Montana#20561 in 82
Arkansas#211761 in 87
Oklahoma#212451 in 84
Texas#221,2821 in 116
Mississippi#231451 in 118
New Mexico#231131 in 103
South Carolina#232231 in 106
West Virginia#251231 in 83
District of Columbia#27911 in 144

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Nicholas
Momentum · boys
Falling
  • 5 spots since 2024 (#117 → #112)
  • 25 spots since 2020 (#87 → #112)
  • 50 spots since 2015 (#62 → #112)
  • Biggest jump: 33 spots in 1886 (#195 → #162)
  • Biggest drop: 34 spots in 1889 (#157 → #191)
Rise & fade · boys
119 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1999 at #5 (25,639 births)
  • Births halved by 2008, 9 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 10 for 10 yrs
  • Top 10: 10 yrs · run 1993–2002
  • Top 100: 51 yrs · run 1972–2022
  • Top 1,000: 146 yrs · run 1880–2025
Share of babies · boys
1 in 65
  • Highest: 1 in 65 boys born in 1995 were named Nicholas (1.5%)
  • Latest: 1 in 548 boys born in 2025 (0.18%)
  • Its best rank, #5 in 1999, was only 1 in 75 (1.3%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · boys
The 1990s
  • 29.7% of all boys named Nicholas (275,329) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s730#157 (1888)#180
1890s857#156 (1896)#175
1900s1,334#113 (1908)#159
1910s10,233#102 (1914)#114
1920s13,608#114 (1921)#129
1930s9,716#145 (1931)#157
1940s15,503#136 (1949)#146
1950s22,614#120 (1951)#139
1960s22,339#118 (1968)#144
1970s65,068#15 (1979)#76
1980s223,308#14 (1989)#18
1990s275,329#5 (1999)#9
2000s177,609#6 (2000)#16
2010s66,811#37 (2010)#58
2020s20,988#87 (2020)#102

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Nicholas in 1989

girls
#1,288
122 births · 1 in 15,111 girls
boys
#14
28,230 births · 1 in 71 boys

Top girls' names in 1989

  1. #1Jessica47,887
  2. #2Ashley47,588
  3. #3Brittany37,792
  4. #4Amanda36,834
  5. #5Sarah27,797
  6. #6Samantha24,792
  7. #7Jennifer24,006
  8. #8Stephanie22,766
  9. #9Lauren21,065
  10. #10Elizabeth20,298
  11. #1,288Nicholas122

Top boys' names in 1989

  1. #1Michael65,415
  2. #2Christopher53,186
  3. #3Matthew45,375
  4. #4Joshua44,100
  5. #5David35,225
  6. #6Daniel35,007
  7. #7Andrew34,817
  8. #8Justin32,852
  9. #9James32,720
  10. #10Robert30,072
  11. #14Nicholas28,230
More about 1989

girls

1,843,552 girls got a published name in 1989; 1 in 15,111 of them was named Nicholas, which outranked 91.1% of the 14,550 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 16.9% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Nicholas
  1. #1,277Reanna123
  2. #1,277Salena123
  3. #1,277Shavon123
  4. #1,288Nicholas122
  5. #1,288Aleisha122
  6. #1,288Brett122
  7. #1,288Chelsy122
  8. #1,301Aida121
  9. #1,301Jenae121
  10. #1,301Joslyn121

Tied with 12 names at #1,288; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1988
Risers
  1. ↑ 9,523Audriana#10,386 → #863
  2. ↑ 7,504Martika#8,391 → #887
  3. ↑ 6,932Audrianna#7,691 → #759
  4. ↑ 3,972Elizabet#4,496 → #524
  5. ↑ 1,772Katherin#2,489 → #717
Fallers
  1. ↓ 539Diandra#905 → #1,444
  2. ↓ 524Taja#720 → #1,244
  3. ↓ 455Jonathan#999 → #1,454
  4. ↓ 445Katarina#960 → #1,405
  5. ↓ 397Caryn#816 → #1,213

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

2,000,928 boys got a published name in 1989; 1 in 71 of them was named Nicholas, which outranked 99.8% of the 9,232 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 20.4% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Nicholas
  1. #11Joseph29,884
  2. #12John29,853
  3. #13Ryan28,408
  4. #14Nicholas28,230
  5. #15William24,673
  6. #16Anthony24,423
  7. #17Jonathan23,608
Biggest movers since 1988
Risers
  1. ↑ 6,314Kiara#7,270 → #956
  2. ↑ 5,870Alexande#6,426 → #556
  3. ↑ 1,111Kwame#1,768 → #657
  4. ↑ 766Kadeem#1,467 → #701
  5. ↑ 684Hakeem#1,270 → #586
Fallers
  1. ↓ 839Long#819 → #1,658
  2. ↓ 337Darell#981 → #1,318
  3. ↓ 294Whitney#890 → #1,184
  4. ↓ 269Trevin#840 → #1,109
  5. ↓ 252Curt#850 → #1,102

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1989 →