Total births
758
Boys' name · since 1914
Nichols
758 babies named Nichols in U.S. Social Security records since 1914, with the highest year being 1987. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- 758
- total births
- 1914–2009
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 42%
- born in that decade
Nichols sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 758 recorded since 1914.
Social Security Administration records show Nichols recorded 758 times among boys since 1914, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1980s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1914 to 2009.
- 758 total births
- 1914–2009 years on record
- 1980s peak decade
- 42% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
758 boys have been named Nichols since 1914, peaking in the 1980s, last recorded in 2009.
- 758
- total births
- 1914–2009
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 42%
- born in that decade
1980s
Peak decade
42% of everyone ever named Nichols was born in this single decade.
1987
Single peak year
55 babies were named Nichols in 1987 - its busiest year on record.
Nichols's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Nichols's full recorded timeline at 1979, 76% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 24% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1915, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1987 peak of 55 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Nichols at a glance
Last recorded 2009Peak year
1987
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1914
Nichols popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1914–2009
- Peak year (1987)
- 55
- Annual births at peak, across 96 years of records
Nichols by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Nichols's strongest decade.
322 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 42% of all-time use.
Nichols births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 27
1910s
27 births
- 1920s 26
1920s
26 births
- 1930s 5
1930s
5 births
- 1940s 17
1940s
17 births
- 1950s 27
1950s
27 births
- 1960s 17
1960s
17 births
- 1970s 98
1970s
98 births
- 1980s
1980s
322 births
- 1990s
1990s
163 births
- 2000s 56
2000s
56 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 322 births (42% of all-time use).
How Nichols 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 Nichols's total volume
Nichols vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Nichols by state
Where Nichols concentrates geographically, total births since 1914
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 29 | 3.8% |
| #2 | New York | | 16 | 2.1% |
| #3 | Massachusetts | | 5 | 0.7% |
| #4 | Missouri | | 5 | 0.7% |
| #5 | Texas | | 5 | 0.7% |
California share of Nichols's total US births 3.8%
Even split
29 of 758 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 5 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Nichols? ▼
Since 1914, Social Security records show 758 babies named Nichols. The most recent recorded year was 2009. Its busiest year on record was 1987, with 55 births.
When was Nichols most popular? ▼
Nichols was most popular in the 1980s decade with 322 total births. The single peak year was 1987.
Where is Nichols most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Nichols are California (29 births), New York (16 births), Massachusetts (5 births).
How long has the name Nichols been used? ▼
Nichols has been recorded in Social Security data since 1914, spanning 96 years of data through 2009.
What names are similar to Nichols? ▼
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 Nichols's data
- Nichols's decade-level peak was the 1980s (322 total births); usage has since declined to 56 in the 2000s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Nicholss (29 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 Nichols
Nearby Names Like Nichols
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Nichols
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 Nichols side by side: Nichols vs Nicholas Nichols vs Nicolas Nichols vs Nick
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
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, 1914–2009 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Nichols: Baby Name Since 1914 - 758 Births, Peak 1987." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/nichols. 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 Nichols 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.