Boy · #181 in 2026

Nicolas

Nicolas or Nicolás may refer to masculine given names cognate to English Nicholas. The given name Nicolas is widely used in Brazil and France. The variant Nicolás is widely used in Spanish-speaking countries. The variant Niccolò, is a popular male name in Italy, although Nicolas is also sometimes used, especially amongst Italian Americans and Latin Americans of Italian descent.

  • French
  • Spanish
Current Rank
#181
Peak Rank
#132 (2003)
Total Babies
103K
5-Yr Trend
-2%
1932
First Year
2017
Last Year
1988
Peak Year
#5598
Peak Rank
179
Total Count
23
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Nicolas

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Nicolas or Nicolás may refer to masculine given names cognate to English Nicholas. The given name Nicolas is widely used in Brazil and France. The variant Nicolás is widely used in Spanish-speaking countries. The variant Niccolò, is a popular male name in Italy, although Nicolas is also sometimes used, especially amongst Italian Americans and Latin Americans of Italian descent.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • French
  • Spanish

The Story of Nicolas

The earliest SSA record of Nicolas as a baby boy name dates back to 1882, when 5 babies received it. 2003 was its biggest year on record, with 3,003 newborns named Nicolas — #134 in the national rankings. About 27% of every Nicolas on record arrived during the 2000s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Nicolas ranks #181 for baby boys with 1,985 births, holding steady (-2%). All told, over 103K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

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

Names that sound like Nicolas

Phonetically similar names — useful when Nicolas is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Nicolas

What does the name Nicolas mean?
Nicolas or Nicolás may refer to masculine given names cognate to English Nicholas. The given name Nicolas is widely used in Brazil and France. The variant Nicolás is widely used in Spanish-speaking countries. The variant Niccolò, is a popular male name in Italy, although Nicolas is also sometimes used, especially amongst Italian Americans and Latin Americans of Italian descent.
What is the origin of the name Nicolas?
Nicolas has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: French, Spanish.
How popular is Nicolas in 2026?
In 2026, Nicolas ranks #181 among boys' names in the U.S., with 1,985 babies given the name that year.
When was Nicolas most popular?
Nicolas reached its peak popularity in 2003, ranking #132 that year with 3,003 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Nicolas most popular?
Nicolas has historically been most popular in Puerto Rico, District of Columbia, U.S. Territories. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Nicolas.
Is Nicolas a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Nicolas is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Nicolas?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Nicolas include Freddie, Arlo, Tyrone. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

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About the name Nicolas

Nicolas is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1882 and has accumulated 103K births in the dataset. Nicolas's peak popularity came in 2003 when it ranked #132. Use the chart and map above to compare Nicolas's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . 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 (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

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.