Niklas
Niklas is a masculine given name, a Germanic variant of Nicholas. It is most common in Sweden and among the Swedish-speaking population of Finland. It is also used as a surname. Notable people with that name include:
- Swedish
- Finnish
- Danish
- Norwegian
Meaning & Origin of Niklas
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Niklas is a masculine given name, a Germanic variant of Nicholas. It is most common in Sweden and among the Swedish-speaking population of Finland. It is also used as a surname. Notable people with that name include:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Swedish
- Finnish
- Danish
- Norwegian
- German
The Story of Niklas
Niklas first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1976, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2000: 90 births, good for #1,391 nationwide. The 2000s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 40% of all recorded Niklass. In the latest 2025 data it stands at #7,982 among baby boy names with 5 births, falling sharply (-59%). In total, more than 2K Niklass have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Niklas
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Niklas. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Niklas
Phonetically similar names — useful when Niklas 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 Niklas
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About the name Niklas
Niklas is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1976 and has accumulated 2K births in the dataset. Niklas's peak popularity came in 2000 when it ranked #1,391. Use the chart and map above to compare Niklas's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2000 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "N" →
- Browse all boy 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.