Nicholas Boy

Popularity: #112 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: NIK-uh-lus //ˈnɪk.ə.ləs//

Origin: Greek; Latin

Meaning: Greek: victory of the people; Latin: victorious people

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Nicholas originates from the Greek name Νικόλαος (Nikolaos), which is composed of the elements 'nike,' meaning 'victory,' and 'laos,' meaning 'people.' This etymological combination can be interpreted as 'victory of the people' or 'people's champion.' The name was adopted into Latin as Nicolaus and subsequently entered Old French as Nicolas before being incorporated into Middle English, where it became established as Nicholas. Historically, the name Nicholas is most famously associated with Saint Nicholas of Myra, a 4th-century bishop known for his generosity and miracles.

His life and deeds were recorded in various hagiographies, and he became a prominent figure in Christian tradition. His feast day is celebrated on December 6, and he is often regarded as the inspiration for the modern figure of Santa Claus.

The veneration of Saint Nicholas spread throughout Europe, particularly during the Middle Ages, leading to the establishment of numerous churches and institutions in his honor. The name Nicholas has maintained cultural resonance across various societies, often symbolizing generosity and kindness.

It has been borne by numerous notable historical figures, including kings and scholars, which further solidified its significance. In literature, the name appears in works such as Charles Dickens' "Nicholas Nickleby," published in the 19th century, which contributed to the name's enduring legacy.

A common diminutive form of Nicholas is Nick, which has also been widely used in various cultures. Overall, the name Nicholas carries a rich historical and cultural heritage that reflects its linguistic roots and the impact of its most notable bearers.

Famous people named Nicholas

In this section, you will find notable people named Nicholas. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Nicholas who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Nicholas who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Nicholas Cage is an actor best known for Leaving Las Vegas, National Treasure, and Adaptation.

Nicholas Sparks is an author best known for The Notebook, A Walk to Remember, and Dear John.

Nicholas Hoult is an actor best known for About a Boy, Mad Max: Fury Road, and The Favourite.

Nicholas Braun is an actor best known for Succession, Zola, and The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

Nicholas Kristof is a journalist best known for his work with The New York Times and for co-authoring Half the Sky.

Nicholas Meyer is a director and writer best known for Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Time After Time, and The Seven-Per-Cent Solution.

Nicholas Lindhurst is an actor best known for Only Fools and Horses, Goodnight Sweetheart, and The Two of Us.

Nicholas Stoller is a director and writer best known for Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Neighbors, and The Muppets.

Nicholas Sparks is a novelist best known for The Notebook, Message in a Bottle, and The Lucky One.

Fictional characters named Nicholas

The following list of fictional characters named Nicholas is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Nicholas Nickleby is a fictional character from the novel Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens. He is a young man who struggles to support his family after the death of his father, facing various challenges and adventures along the way.

Nicholas Angel is a fictional character from the film Hot Fuzz. He is a dedicated police officer who uncovers a dark conspiracy in a seemingly peaceful village.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Nicholas, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

NathanielOliverGabrielSamuelAlexanderBenjamin

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Nicholas. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

NicolasDominicMatthiasSebastianJonathanTheodoreMaximilianJulian

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Nicholas was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Nicholas has ranked as high as #7 nationally, which occurred in 1995, and has been most popular in California, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Ohio.

In the past 5 years the name Nicholas has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Nicholas is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Nicholas was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Nicholas.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 3,123 3,115 8
2024 3,038 3,038 0
2023 3,261 3,261 0
2022 3,649 3,643 6
2021 3,866 3,866 0
2020 4,070 4,065 5
2019 4,650 4,642 8
2018 4,847 4,847 0
2017 5,378 5,372 6
2016 5,771 5,765 6
2015 6,270 6,263 7
2014 6,791 6,779 12
2013 7,160 7,147 13
2012 7,750 7,742 8
2011 8,616 8,601 15
2010 9,664 9,653 11
2009 10,874 10,856 18
2008 12,554 12,533 21
2007 14,376 14,362 14
2006 15,691 15,675 16
2005 17,100 17,076 24
2004 18,591 18,519 72
2003 19,740 19,696 44
2002 21,429 21,390 39
2001 22,884 22,849 35
2000 24,692 24,653 39
1999 25,678 25,639 39
1998 26,670 26,632 38
1997 27,309 27,258 51
1996 27,776 27,724 52
1995 29,216 29,160 56
1994 27,836 27,770 66
1993 28,205 28,114 91
1992 27,842 27,762 80
1991 27,438 27,357 81
1990 27,982 27,913 69
1989 28,352 28,230 122
1988 25,438 25,303 135
1987 23,407 23,247 160
1986 22,935 22,800 135
1985 22,546 22,384 162
1984 21,163 21,017 146
1983 20,026 19,891 135
1982 19,779 19,643 136
1981 19,899 19,775 124
1980 21,157 21,018 139
1979 21,484 21,344 140
1978 16,450 16,342 108
1977 6,105 6,071 34
1976 3,486 3,466 20
1975 3,343 3,319 24
1974 3,239 3,218 21
1973 3,169 3,153 16
1972 2,859 2,843 16
1971 2,630 2,608 22
1970 2,711 2,704 7
1969 2,585 2,577 8
1968 2,564 2,548 16
1967 2,300 2,288 12
1966 2,146 2,139 7
1965 2,075 2,068 7
1964 2,069 2,069 0
1963 2,140 2,130 10
1962 2,144 2,144 0
1961 2,086 2,078 8
1960 2,298 2,298 0
1959 2,202 2,196 6
1958 2,198 2,189 9
1957 2,204 2,197 7
1956 2,218 2,212 6
1955 2,194 2,186 8
1954 2,379 2,368 11
1953 2,364 2,359 5
1952 2,343 2,343 0
1951 2,388 2,388 0
1950 2,176 2,176 0
1949 2,003 1,998 5
1948 1,934 1,929 5
1947 1,935 1,935 0
1946 1,675 1,675 0
1945 1,363 1,357 6
1944 1,361 1,361 0
1943 1,440 1,434 6
1942 1,500 1,500 0
1941 1,218 1,212 6
1940 1,102 1,102 0
1939 1,032 1,032 0
1938 994 989 5
1937 935 935 0
1936 929 929 0
1935 911 911 0
1934 873 873 0
1933 895 888 7
1932 931 925 6
1931 1,111 1,103 8
1930 1,145 1,131 14
1929 1,205 1,192 13
1928 1,223 1,216 7
1927 1,284 1,272 12
1926 1,335 1,319 16
1925 1,339 1,332 7
1924 1,501 1,488 13
1923 1,473 1,468 5
1922 1,421 1,414 7
1921 1,559 1,553 6
1920 1,360 1,354 6
1919 1,328 1,321 7
1918 1,488 1,488 0
1917 1,418 1,412 6
1916 1,426 1,419 7
1915 1,427 1,427 0
1914 1,151 1,151 0
1913 796 796 0
1912 676 676 0
1911 308 308 0
1910 235 235 0
1909 204 204 0
1908 226 226 0
1907 161 161 0
1906 144 144 0
1905 112 112 0
1904 102 102 0
1903 90 90 0
1902 112 112 0
1901 88 88 0
1900 95 95 0
1899 69 69 0
1898 94 94 0
1897 87 87 0
1896 106 106 0
1895 84 84 0
1894 77 77 0
1893 89 89 0
1892 95 95 0
1891 78 78 0
1890 78 78 0
1889 68 68 0
1888 97 97 0
1887 79 79 0
1886 85 85 0
1885 66 66 0
1884 69 69 0
1883 71 71 0
1882 66 66 0
1881 56 56 0
1880 73 73 0

Top States for Nicholas (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 414
14%
NY 333
11%
TX 326
11%
FL 213
7%
NJ 189
6%
PA 172
6%
IL 124
4%
OH 85
3%
VA 81
3%
GA 72
2%
AZ 68
2%
MA 63
2%
NC 63
2%
MI 63
2%
MD 58
2%
CT 53
2%
WA 50
2%
TN 50
2%
IN 50
2%
SC 37
1%
CO 36
1%
WI 34
1%
MO 30
1%
OR 28
1%
AL 27
1%
UT 27
1%
OK 25
1%
LA 24
1%
NV 24
1%
MN 23
1%
KY 21
1%
MS 17
1%
AR 15
0%
NH 15
0%
KS 15
0%
ID 13
0%
DE 12
0%
NM 11
0%
DC 11
0%
IA 10
0%
AK 8
0%
ME 7
0%
MT 6
0%
RI 6
0%