Total births
1,795
Boys' name · since 1921
Nickolaus
Since 1921, U.S. Social Security records show 1,795 babies named Nickolaus, peaking in 1990. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 1,795
- total births
- 1921–2019
- years on record
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 34%
- born in that decade
Nickolaus is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 1,795 have been recorded since 1921.
Nickolaus has 1,795 recorded births among boys since 1921, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used boys names, busiest in the 1990s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1921 to 2019.
- 1,795 total births
- 1921–2019 years on record
- 1990s peak decade
- 34% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
1,795 boys have been named Nickolaus since 1921, peaking in the 1990s, last recorded in 2019.
- 1,795
- total births
- 1921–2019
- years on record
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 34%
- born in that decade
1990s
Peak decade
34% of everyone ever named Nickolaus was born in this single decade.
1990
Single peak year
72 babies were named Nickolaus in 1990 - its busiest year on record.
Nickolaus's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Nickolaus's SSA record in two at 1992 and the more recent half accounts for 54% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 46%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1921, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1990 peak of 72, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Nickolaus at a glance
Last recorded 2019Peak year
1990
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1921
Nickolaus popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1921–2019
- Peak year (1990)
- 72
- Annual births at peak, across 99 years of records
Nickolaus by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Nickolaus's strongest decade.
609 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 34% of all-time use.
Nickolaus births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1920s 5
1920s
5 births
- 1950s 10
1950s
10 births
- 1960s 11
1960s
11 births
- 1970s 144
1970s
144 births
- 1980s
1980s
536 births
- 1990s
1990s
609 births
- 2000s
2000s
381 births
- 2010s 99
2010s
99 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 609 births (34% of all-time use).
How Nickolaus 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 Nickolaus's total volume
Nickolaus vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Nickolaus by state
Where Nickolaus concentrates geographically, total births since 1921
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 171 | 9.5% |
| #2 | Texas | | 67 | 3.7% |
| #3 | Ohio | | 23 | 1.3% |
| #4 | Florida | | 22 | 1.2% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 21 | 1.2% |
| #6 | Michigan | | 10 | 0.6% |
| #7 | Minnesota | | 5 | 0.3% |
| #8 | Missouri | | 5 | 0.3% |
California share of Nickolaus's total US births 9.5%
Even split
171 of 1,795 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 11 reporting states.
Nickolaus appears in 11 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Nickolaus? ▼
Nickolaus has been given to 1,795 babies in the U.S. since 1921, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 2019. 72 babies were born in 1990, its single highest year.
When was Nickolaus most popular? ▼
Nickolaus was most popular in the 1990s decade with 609 total births. The single peak year was 1990.
Where is Nickolaus most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Nickolaus are California (171 births), Texas (67 births), Ohio (23 births).
How long has the name Nickolaus been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Nickolaus since 1921 -- 99 years through the most recent 2019 data.
What names are similar to Nickolaus? ▼
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 Nickolaus's data
- Nickolaus's decade-level peak was the 1990s (609 total births); usage has since declined to 99 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Nickolauss (171 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 Nickolaus
Nearby Names Like Nickolaus
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Nickolaus
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 Nickolaus side by side: Nickolaus vs Nicholas Nickolaus vs Nicolas Nickolaus 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, 1921–2019 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Nickolaus: Baby Name Since 1921 - 1,795 Births, Peak 1990." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/nickolaus. 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 Nickolaus 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.