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.
- #3,535 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 1,795
- born since 1921
- 1990s
- peak 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.
- #3,535 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 1,795 born since 1921
- 1990s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Nickolaus ranks #3,535 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 1,795 born since 1921, peaking in the 1990s.
- #3,535 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 1,795
- born since 1921
- 1990s
- peak decade
Nickolaus's 1,795 recorded births place it above 92.22% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
11 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by California.
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 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
1990s is the heaviest window (609 births, 34% of the file).
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 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% |
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
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Where does Nickolaus sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Nickolaus most popular? ▼
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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
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
Compare Nickolaus side by side: Nickolaus vs Nicholas Nickolaus vs Nicolas Nickolaus vs Nick
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Nickolaus: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1990)
Similar record span (~98 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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).
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 August 2026.