Total births
3,260
Boys' name · since 1950
Nicholaus
Since 1950, U.S. Social Security records show 3,260 babies named Nicholaus, peaking in 1981. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #7330
- among boys today
- 3,260
- born since 1950
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 49%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Nicholaus is the #7330 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 3,260 recorded since 1950.
Nicholaus has 3,260 recorded births among boys since 1950, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #7330 as of the latest data, more common than 49% of boys, busiest in the 1980s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1950 to 2025.
- #7330 among boys today
- 3,260 born since 1950
- 1980s peak decade
- 49% more common than other boys
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Nicholaus is currently the #7330 boys' name in America, more common than 49% of boys - 3,260 born since 1950, peaking in the 1980s.
- #7330
- among boys today
- 3,260
- born since 1950
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 49%
- more common than other boys
Nicholaus vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#7330
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 49% of names given to boys today.
1980s
Peak decade
35% of everyone ever named Nicholaus was born in this single decade.
1981
Single peak year
168 babies were named Nicholaus in 1981 - its busiest year on record.
How Nicholaus compares
3,260 Top 16% higher than 84% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Nicholaus's all-time total is 9x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Nicholaus | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 3,260 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 168 | 23 | 22,252 |
Nicholaus's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Nicholaus's full recorded timeline at 1994, 36% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 64% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1957, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1981 peak of 168 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Nicholaus at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1981
Current rank
#7,330
Active since
1950
Nicholaus popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1950–2025
- Peak year (1981)
- 168
- Annual births at peak, across 76 years of records
Nicholaus by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Nicholaus's strongest decade.
1,155 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 35% of all-time use.
Nicholaus births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 14
1950s
14 births
- 1960s 30
1960s
30 births
- 1970s
1970s
462 births
- 1980s
1980s
1,155 births
- 1990s
1990s
969 births
- 2000s
2000s
468 births
- 2010s 124
2010s
124 births
- 2020s 38
2020s
38 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 1,155 births (35% of all-time use).
How Nicholaus compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Nicholaus's total volume
Nicholaus vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Nicholaus by state
Where Nicholaus concentrates geographically, total births since 1950
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 461 | 14.1% |
| #2 | Texas | | 199 | 6.1% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 93 | 2.9% |
| #4 | Washington | | 76 | 2.3% |
| #5 | Florida | | 63 | 1.9% |
| #6 | Missouri | | 50 | 1.5% |
| #7 | Ohio | | 47 | 1.4% |
| #8 | Michigan | | 46 | 1.4% |
California share of Nicholaus's total US births 14.1%
Even split
461 of 3,260 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 25 reporting states.
Nicholaus appears in 25 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Nicholaus? ▼
3,260 babies have been named Nicholaus since 1950. It currently ranks #7330 among boys. The peak year was 1981 with 168 births.
When was Nicholaus most popular? ▼
Nicholaus was most popular in the 1980s decade with 1,155 total births. The single peak year was 1981.
Where is Nicholaus most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Nicholaus are California (461 births), Texas (199 births), Illinois (93 births).
How long has the name Nicholaus been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Nicholaus since 1950 -- 76 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Nicholaus? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Nicholas, Nicolas, Nick, Nickolas, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Nicholaus's data
- Nicholaus's decade-level peak was the 1980s (1,155 total births); usage has since declined to 38 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Nicholauss (461 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Nicholaus
Nearby Names Like Nicholaus
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Nicholaus
Nicholas Boy
#117 926,047 births
Nicolas Boy
#184 101,585 births
Nick Boy
#1418 50,457 births
Nickolas Boy
#1542 39,356 births
Nico Boy
#211 21,294 births
Compare Nicholaus side by side: Nicholaus vs Nicholas Nicholaus vs Nicolas Nicholaus vs Nick
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Nicholaus
Data Sources
Data as of July 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1950–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Nicholaus: #7330 Boys' Name - 3,260 Births, Peak 1981." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/nicholaus. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Nicholaus draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of July 2026.