Nicola Unisex

Popularity: #936 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: NEE-koh-lah //ˈniː.kə.lə//

Origin: Italian; Latin; Greek

Meaning: Victory of the people (Latin); people's victory (Greek)

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Nicola has its roots in the Greek name Nikolaos, which is composed of the elements 'nikē,' meaning 'victory,' and 'laos,' meaning 'people.' This name was adopted into Latin as Nicolaus, and subsequently made its way into various languages, including Old French as Nicolas, before evolving into the modern form, Nicola, in English and other languages. The transition into English occurred primarily through the influence of the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, which brought many Norman names into the English lexicon, including variations of Nicolaus.

Historically, the name has been borne by several notable figures, including Saint Nicholas of Myra, a 4th-century bishop known for his generosity and later associated with the tradition of gift-giving. His feast day, celebrated on December 6, became a significant cultural event in many Christian communities.

The name also appears in various historical texts and translations, such as the Vulgate, the Latin version of the Bible, where the name is rendered as Nicolaus. Additionally, the name has been associated with various monarchs and saints throughout the Middle Ages, contributing to its enduring presence in European culture.

Culturally, Nicola has been linked to themes of victory and leadership, resonating with the qualities of strength and community. The name has also inspired various diminutive forms, such as Nikki or Nicky, which have been used affectionately in different cultures.

The enduring legacy of the name is reflected in its continued use across various cultures and languages, symbolizing a connection to historical figures and the virtues they embodied.

Famous people named Nicola

In this section, you will find notable people named Nicola. 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 Nicola who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Nicola 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.

Nicola Tesla is an inventor and electrical engineer best known for the development of alternating current, the Tesla coil, and contributions to wireless communication.

Nicola Adams is a professional boxer best known for winning Olympic gold medals in women's flyweight boxing and for being a pioneer in women's boxing.

Sibling suggestions

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

NinaNoraNadiaNatalieNicoletteNiamh

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Nicola. 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.

NicoNinaNadiaNoraNicoleNicolinaNikitaNerissaNia

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Nicola was first seen in the United States in 1908.

Nicola has ranked as high as #1135 nationally, which occurred in 1972, and has been most popular in New York, California, New Jersey, Illinois, and Pennsylvania.

In the past 5 years the name Nicola has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Nicola 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 Nicola 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 Nicola.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 40 28 12
2024 50 35 15
2023 48 29 19
2022 50 37 13
2021 44 35 9
2020 36 26 10
2019 43 27 16
2018 43 28 15
2017 37 26 11
2016 41 20 21
2015 52 31 21
2014 51 18 33
2013 38 22 16
2012 60 23 37
2011 57 27 30
2010 56 23 33
2009 62 28 34
2008 76 37 39
2007 84 37 47
2006 70 30 40
2005 76 26 50
2004 103 33 70
2003 100 40 60
2002 109 33 76
2001 100 42 58
2000 97 43 54
1999 107 41 66
1998 103 35 68
1997 115 48 67
1996 113 40 73
1995 119 42 77
1994 114 38 76
1993 121 38 83
1992 138 43 95
1991 131 46 85
1990 136 42 94
1989 132 48 84
1988 97 33 64
1987 104 25 79
1986 110 29 81
1985 121 34 87
1984 110 31 79
1983 121 27 94
1982 125 31 94
1981 124 31 93
1980 140 31 109
1979 180 42 138
1978 180 43 137
1977 149 40 109
1976 160 39 121
1975 172 43 129
1974 156 42 114
1973 173 47 126
1972 236 53 183
1971 188 45 143
1970 167 47 120
1969 188 47 141
1968 147 34 113
1967 106 19 87
1966 105 33 72
1965 98 40 58
1964 81 37 44
1963 97 43 54
1962 77 26 51
1961 59 24 35
1960 62 32 30
1959 36 16 20
1958 55 19 36
1957 53 25 28
1956 51 24 27
1955 51 10 41
1954 53 17 36
1953 40 9 31
1952 33 11 22
1951 32 15 17
1950 43 13 30
1949 48 9 39
1948 62 12 50
1947 43 8 35
1946 58 12 46
1945 45 7 38
1944 23 6 17
1943 16 0 16
1942 21 9 12
1941 24 9 15
1940 21 12 9
1939 14 8 6
1938 13 8 5
1937 5 0 5
1936 7 7 0
1935 9 9 0
1934 12 12 0
1933 9 9 0
1932 10 10 0
1931 13 13 0
1930 9 9 0
1929 21 21 0
1928 16 16 0
1927 14 14 0
1926 18 18 0
1925 16 16 0
1924 22 22 0
1923 24 24 0
1922 13 13 0
1921 19 19 0
1920 30 25 5
1919 28 28 0
1918 29 29 0
1917 23 23 0
1916 25 25 0
1915 31 31 0
1914 18 18 0
1913 15 15 0
1912 17 17 0
1911 6 6 0
1910 5 5 0
1908 6 6 0

Top States for Nicola (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
FL 6
55%
CA 5
45%