Total births
63,770
Girls' name · since 1942
Nichole
Since 1942, U.S. Social Security records show 63,770 babies named Nichole, peaking in 1985. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #3343
- among girls today
- 63,770
- born since 1942
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 81%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Nichole is the #3343 most popular girls' name in the U.S. today, with 63,770 recorded since 1942.
Nichole has 63,770 recorded births among girls since 1942, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #3343 as of the latest data, more common than 81% of girls, 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 1942 to 2025.
- #3343 among girls today
- 63,770 born since 1942
- 1980s peak decade
- 81% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Nichole is currently the #3343 girls' name in America, more common than 81% of girls - 63,770 born since 1942, peaking in the 1980s.
- #3343
- among girls today
- 63,770
- born since 1942
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 81%
- more common than other girls
Nichole vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#3343
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 81% of names given to girls today.
1980s
Peak decade
43% of everyone ever named Nichole was born in this single decade.
1985
Single peak year
2,950 babies were named Nichole in 1985 - its busiest year on record.
How Nichole compares
63,770 Top 3% higher than 97% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls 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
Nichole's all-time total is 167x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Nichole | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 63,770 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 2,950 | 48 | 19,840 |
Nichole's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Nichole splits its recorded history at 1986: 41% of all births land in the more recent half, 59% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1943 (6 births) -- compare that against the 1985 peak of 2,950 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Nichole at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1985
Current rank
#3,343
Active since
1942
Nichole popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1942–2025
- Peak year (1985)
- 2,950
- Annual births at peak, across 84 years of records
Nichole popularity over time - boys
184 total births recorded since 1972 (Nichole as boys' name)
Nichole by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Nichole's strongest decade.
27,235 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 43% of all-time use.
Nichole births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1940s 59
1940s
59 births
- 1950s 58
1950s
58 births
- 1960s 1,486
1960s
1,486 births
- 1970s
1970s
18,519 births
- 1980s
1980s
27,235 births
- 1990s
1990s
11,529 births
- 2000s 3,283
2000s
3,283 births
- 2010s 1,301
2010s
1,301 births
- 2020s 300
2020s
300 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 27,235 births (43% of all-time use).
How Nichole compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Nichole's total volume
Nichole vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Nichole by state
Where Nichole concentrates geographically, total births since 1942
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 7,234 | 11.3% |
| #2 | Michigan | | 3,984 | 6.2% |
| #3 | Ohio | | 3,946 | 6.2% |
| #4 | Pennsylvania | | 3,704 | 5.8% |
| #5 | New York | | 3,488 | 5.5% |
| #6 | Illinois | | 3,076 | 4.8% |
| #7 | Texas | | 2,804 | 4.4% |
| #8 | Florida | | 2,618 | 4.1% |
California share of Nichole's total US births 11.3%
Even split
7,234 of 63,770 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Nichole appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Nichole? ▼
Nichole has been given to 63,770 babies in the U.S. since 1942, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #3343 as of the latest data. 2,950 babies were born in 1985, its single highest year.
When was Nichole most popular? ▼
Nichole was most popular in the 1980s decade with 27,235 total births. The single peak year was 1985.
Where is Nichole most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Nichole are California (7,234 births), Michigan (3,984 births), Ohio (3,946 births).
How long has the name Nichole been used? ▼
Nichole has been recorded in Social Security data since 1942, spanning 84 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Nichole? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Nicole, Nicolette, Nicki, Nicolle, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Nichole's data
- Nichole's decade-level peak was the 1980s (27,235 total births); usage has since declined to 300 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Nicholes (7,234 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 Nichole
Nearby Names Like Nichole
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Nichole
Nicole Girl
#318 594,500 births
Nicolette Girl
#2015 17,129 births
Nicki Girl
6,083 births
Nicolle Girl
#3025 6,077 births
Nichelle Girl
#10425 5,543 births
Compare Nichole side by side: Nichole vs Nicole Nichole vs Nicolette Nichole vs Nicki
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Nichole
Darling #3342
1,045 births · Peak 2024
Kaylen #3344
7,150 births · Peak 2009
Silver #3341
1,749 births · Peak 2023
Mecca #3345
2,288 births · Peak 1995
Adlee #3340
1,189 births · Peak 2012
Natali #3346
4,822 births · Peak 2006
Audree #3339
3,727 births · Peak 2013
Alysha #3347
9,601 births · Peak 1990
Data Sources
Data as of June 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, 1942–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Nichole: #3343 Girls' Name - 63,770 Births, Peak 1985." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/nichole. 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 Nichole 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 June 2026.