Total births
97
Boys' name · since 1979
Nicholson
Nicholson has 97 recorded births since 1979 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1994 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 97
- total births
- 1979–2018
- years on record
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 58%
- born in that decade
97 boys have been named Nicholson since 1979, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Nicholson has been recorded 97 times among boys since 1979, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 1990s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1979 to 2018.
- 97 total births
- 1979–2018 years on record
- 1990s peak decade
- 58% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
97 boys have been named Nicholson since 1979, peaking in the 1990s, last recorded in 2018.
- 97
- total births
- 1979–2018
- years on record
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 58%
- born in that decade
1990s
Peak decade
58% of everyone ever named Nicholson was born in this single decade.
1994
Single peak year
11 babies were named Nicholson in 1994 - its busiest year on record.
Nicholson's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Nicholson's full recorded timeline at 1997, 45% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 55% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 2002, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1994 peak of 11 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Nicholson at a glance
Last recorded 2018Peak year
1994
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1979
Nicholson popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1979–2018
- Peak year (1994)
- 11
- Annual births at peak, across 40 years of records
Nicholson by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Nicholson's strongest decade.
56 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 58% of all-time use.
Nicholson births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 6
1970s
6 births
- 1980s 6
1980s
6 births
- 1990s
1990s
56 births
- 2000s
2000s
24 births
- 2010s 5
2010s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 56 births (58% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Nicholson? ▼
Since 1979, Social Security records show 97 babies named Nicholson. The most recent recorded year was 2018. Its busiest year on record was 1994, with 11 births.
When was Nicholson most popular? ▼
Nicholson was most popular in the 1990s decade with 56 total births. The single peak year was 1994.
How long has the name Nicholson been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Nicholson since 1979 -- 40 years through the most recent 2018 data.
What names are similar to Nicholson? ▼
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 Nicholson's data
- Nicholson's decade-level peak was the 1990s (56 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- 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 Nicholson
Nearby Names Like Nicholson
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Nicholson
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 Nicholson side by side: Nicholson vs Nicholas Nicholson vs Nicolas Nicholson vs Nick
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
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, 1979–2018 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Nicholson: Baby Name Since 1979 - 97 Births, Peak 1994." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/nicholson. 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 Nicholson 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.