Nikel
Nikel is an urban locality and the administrative center of Pechengsky District of Murmansk Oblast, Russia, located on the shores of Lake Kuetsyarvi 196 kilometers (122 mi) northwest of Murmansk and 7 kilometers (4.3 mi) from the Norwegian border on E105. Population: 12,756 (2010 census); 16,534 (2002 census); 21,838 (1989 Soviet census); 18,000 (1973).
Meaning & Origin of Nikel
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Nikel is an urban locality and the administrative center of Pechengsky District of Murmansk Oblast, Russia, located on the shores of Lake Kuetsyarvi 196 kilometers (122 mi) northwest of Murmansk and 7 kilometers (4.3 mi) from the Norwegian border on E105. Population: 12,756 (2010 census); 16,534 (2002 census); 21,838 (1989 Soviet census); 18,000 (1973).
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Origin & history
The Story of Nikel
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Nikel as a girl name dates back to 1999, when 5 babies received it. 1999 was its biggest year on record, with 5 newborns named Nikel — #14,411 in the national rankings. Nikel last appeared in the published SSA data in 1999, with 5 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 5 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1990s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
Nikel first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1999, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1999: 5 births, good for #9,912 nationwide. About 50% of every Nikel on record arrived during the 1990s, its defining decade. Nikel last appeared in the published SSA data in 2008, with 5 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 10 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1990s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Nikel
Phonetically similar names — useful when Nikel 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 Nikel
What does the name Nikel mean?
How popular is Nikel in 2026?
When was Nikel most popular?
Is Nikel a unisex name?
What names go well with Nikel?
About the name Nikel
Nikel is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1999 and has accumulated 10 births in the dataset. Nikel's peak popularity came in 1999 when it ranked #9,912. Use the chart and map above to compare Nikel's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1999 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "N" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.