ESC Name Rank Total Searching... No names found Try searching for: Emma, Liam, Olivia, Noah... 👧As Girl Name 1920 First Year 2026 Last Year 1972 Peak Year #760 Peak Rank 5K Total Count 91 Years Active 👦As Boy Name 1908 First Year 2026 Last Year 1972 Peak Year #1120 Peak Rank 3K Total Count 116 Years Active 🌍 ## Meaning & Origin of Nicola What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures. Nicola or Nichola is a Latinised version of the Greek personal name Nikolaos (Νικόλαος), derived from the nikē meaning "victory", and laos meaning "people", therefore implying the meaning "victory of the people". Nicola is both a male and female name, depending on cultural norms. Source: [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicola%5F%28name%29) (CC BY-SA 3.0). [Read more → ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicola%5F%28name%29) ### Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name) * Italian * German * English 📖 ## The Story of Nicola ### As a girl name Nicola first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1920, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1972: 183 births, good for #760 nationwide. The 1970s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 26% of all recorded Nicolas. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #6,409 among girl names with 18 births, rising sharply (+34% over the past five years). In total, more than 5K Nicolas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s. ### As a boy name The earliest SSA record of Nicola as a boy name dates back to 1908, when 6 babies received it. 1972 was its biggest year on record, with 53 newborns named Nicola — #1,120 in the national rankings. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #3,337 among boy names with 36 births, rising sharply (+21% over the past five years). In total, more than 3K Nicolas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1900s through the 2020s. ## Popularity Over Time Girls Boys ## Popularity by State 👧 Girls 👦 Boys ME WA MT ND MN WI MI NY VT NH MA OR ID SD IA IL IN OH PA NJ CT RI CA NV WY NE MO KY WV VA MD DE DC UT CO KS AR TN NC SC AK AZ NM OK LA MS AL GA HI TX FL Top 10 11-50 51-100 101-500 500+ No data 🔗 ## Variants & Related Forms of Nicola Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Nicola. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name. * Niccolò * [Nico](/nico) * Nicolao * [Nicolino](/nicolino) * Nicolò * [Nichola](/nichola) 🎶 ## Names that sound like Nicola Phonetically similar names — useful when Nicola is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name. * [Nikola](/nikola) * [Nikolai](/nikolai) * [Nikolaj](/nikolaj) * [Nicolae](/nicolae) * Mikkola * [Nicole](/nicole) * [Nichole](/nichole) * [Nichola](/nichola) * [Nicolle](/nicolle) * [Nikole](/nikole) * [Nicolo](/nicolo) * [Niccolo](/niccolo) Source: [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/). Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated. ❓ ## Frequently Asked Questions about Nicola What does the name Nicola mean? Nicola or Nichola is a Latinised version of the Greek personal name Nikolaos (Νικόλαος), derived from the nikē meaning "victory", and laos meaning "people", therefore implying the meaning "victory of the people". Nicola is both a male and female name, depending on cultural norms. What is the origin of the name Nicola? Nicola has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: Italian, German, English. How popular is Nicola in 2026? In 2026, Nicola ranks #6,409 among girls' names in the U.S., with 18 babies given the name that year. When was Nicola most popular? Nicola reached its peak popularity in 1972, ranking #760 that year with 183 babies given the name. In which U.S. states is Nicola most popular? Nicola has historically been most popular in District of Columbia, Connecticut, Oregon. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Nicola. Is Nicola a unisex name? Yes — Nicola is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 63% of Nicolas assigned female and 37% assigned male historically. What names go well with Nicola? Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Nicola include Karma, Ainhoa, Arvilla. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data. What are nicknames or variants of Nicola? Common variants and related forms of Nicola include Niccolò, Nico, Nicolao, Nicolino, Nicolò, Nichola. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms. ## Similar Names ### 👧 Similar Girl Names [👧KarmaPeak #760](/karma)[👧AinhoaPeak #760](/ainhoa)[👧ArvillaPeak #761](/arvilla)[👧HazlePeak #761](/hazle) ### 👦 Similar Boy Names [👦BallardPeak #1120](/ballard)[👦GilfordPeak #1120](/gilford)[👦IsamuPeak #1120](/isamu)[👦GiffordPeak #1119](/gifford) ## About the name Nicola Nicola is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1920 and has accumulated 5K births in the dataset. Nicola's peak popularity came in 1972 when it ranked #760\. Use the chart and map above to compare Nicola's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices. ### Continue exploring * [ Top names of 1972 → ](/year/1972) * [ Names of the 1970s → ](/decade/1970s) * [ Names starting with "N" → ](/letter/n) * [ Browse all girl names → ](/names/girls) * [ Top names of 2026 → ](/year/2026) * [ Browse unisex names → ](/names/unisex) Data sources * Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. [Social Security Administration ](https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/). Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships. * Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — [Behind the Name ](https://www.behindthename.com/) (used under their public API terms). * Meaning prose and editorial summary — [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/) article extracts, licensed under [CC BY-SA 3.0 ](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/). * Predicted nationality distribution — [Nationalize.io ](https://nationalize.io/). * Phonetically similar names — [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/). Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.