Nikita
Nikita is a common masculine name in Eastern Europe and Greece. The Russian variant originated as a Greek name, and subsequently Russian name. The Ukrainian and Belarusian variants are Mykyta, and Mikita, respectively. The Romanian variant is Nichita. The name is derived from the Greek Nicetas.
Meaning & Origin of Nikita
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Nikita is a common masculine name in Eastern Europe and Greece. The Russian variant originated as a Greek name, and subsequently Russian name. The Ukrainian and Belarusian variants are Mykyta, and Mikita, respectively. The Romanian variant is Nichita. The name is derived from the Greek Nicetas.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Nikita
As a girl name
Nikita first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1949, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1986, when 1,034 Nikitas were born — ranking #250 that year. As of 2026, Nikita ranks #4,610 for girls with 30 births, falling sharply (-33%). In total, more than 11K Nikitas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1940s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Nikita first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1959, with 19 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2008, when 117 Nikitas were born — ranking #1,428 that year. As of 2026, Nikita ranks #3,518 for boys with 33 births, falling sharply (-39%). In total, more than 3K Nikitas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Nikita
Phonetically similar names — useful when Nikita 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 Nikita
What does the name Nikita mean?
How popular is Nikita in 2026?
When was Nikita most popular?
In which U.S. states is Nikita most popular?
Is Nikita a unisex name?
What names go well with Nikita?
About the name Nikita
Nikita is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1949 and has accumulated 11K births in the dataset. Nikita's peak popularity came in 1986 when it ranked #250. Use the chart and map above to compare Nikita's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1986 →
- Names of the 1980s →
- Names starting with "N" →
- Browse all girl 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.