Nikki
Nikki is a given name. It is commonly a nickname for Nicholas and its variants Nikolina, Nicole, Nicola; and Nikita, and Veronica. It is also a Punjabi name meaning “little one”, with its male counterpart being Nikku.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Nikki
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Nikki is a given name. It is commonly a nickname for Nicholas and its variants Nikolina, Nicole, Nicola; and Nikita, and Veronica. It is also a Punjabi name meaning “little one”, with its male counterpart being Nikku.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Nikki
American parents first put Nikki on the record books as a baby girl name in 1925, with 8 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1972, when 1,704 Nikkis were born — ranking #173 that year. The 1970s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 27% of all recorded Nikkis. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #3,531 among baby girl names with 44 births, falling sharply (-36%). In total, more than 40K Nikkis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Nikki
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Nikki. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Nikki
Phonetically similar names — useful when Nikki 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 Nikki
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About the name Nikki
Nikki is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1925 and has accumulated 40K births in the dataset. Nikki's peak popularity came in 1972 when it ranked #173. Use the chart and map above to compare Nikki's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1972 →
- Names of the 1970s →
- Names starting with "N" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.