Niklaus
Niklaus is a masculine given name and surname. Niklaus comes from the Greek word nikolaos (νικόλαος), meaning victory of the people. It’s a variant of the likewise Greek-origin given name Nicholas.
- German
Meaning & Origin of Niklaus
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Niklaus is a masculine given name and surname. Niklaus comes from the Greek word nikolaos (νικόλαος), meaning victory of the people. It’s a variant of the likewise Greek-origin given name Nicholas.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- German
The Story of Niklaus
American parents first put Niklaus on the record books as a baby boy name in 1979, with 8 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2021, when 282 Niklauss were born — ranking #840 that year. About 55% of every Niklaus on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Niklaus ranks #1,340 for baby boys with 143 births, falling sharply (-20%). All told, over 3K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1970s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Niklaus
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Niklaus. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Niklaus
Phonetically similar names — useful when Niklaus 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 Niklaus
What does the name Niklaus mean?
What is the origin of the name Niklaus?
How popular is Niklaus in 2026?
When was Niklaus most popular?
In which U.S. states is Niklaus most popular?
Is Niklaus a unisex name?
What names go well with Niklaus?
What are nicknames or variants of Niklaus?
About the name Niklaus
Niklaus is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1979 and has accumulated 3K births in the dataset. Niklaus's peak popularity came in 2021 when it ranked #840. Use the chart and map above to compare Niklaus's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2021 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- 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.