Total births
5,078
Unisex name · since 1920
Nicola
Since 1920, U.S. Social Security records show 5,078 babies named Nicola, peaking in 1972. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #7299
- among girls today
- 5,078
- born since 1920
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 59%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Nicola is the #7299 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 5,078 recorded since 1920.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Nicola has been recorded 5,078 times among girls since 1920, currently ranked #7299 nationally and more common than 59% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 1970s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1920 to 2025.
- #7299 among girls today
- 5,078 born since 1920
- 1970s peak decade
- 59% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Nicola is currently the #7299 unisex name in America, more common than 59% of girls - 5,078 born since 1920, peaking in the 1970s.
- #7299
- among girls today
- 5,078
- born since 1920
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 59%
- more common than other girls
Nicola vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#7299
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 59% of names given to girls today.
1970s
Peak decade
26% of everyone ever named Nicola was born in this single decade.
1972
Single peak year
183 babies were named Nicola in 1972 - its busiest year on record.
How Nicola compares
5,078 Top 13% higher than 87% 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
Nicola's all-time total is 13x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Nicola | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 5,078 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 183 | 48 | 19,840 |
Nicola's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Nicola splits its recorded history at 1981: 47% of all births land in the more recent half, 53% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1920 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1972 peak of 183 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Nicola at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1972
Current rank
#7,299
Active since
1920
Nicola popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1920–2025
- Peak year (1972)
- 183
- Annual births at peak, across 106 years of records
Nicola popularity over time - boys
3,012 total births recorded since 1908 (Nicola as boys' name)
Nicola by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1970s was Nicola's strongest decade.
1,320 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 26% of all-time use.
Nicola births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1920s 5
1920s
5 births
- 1930s 16
1930s
16 births
- 1940s 277
1940s
277 births
- 1950s 288
1950s
288 births
- 1960s
1960s
685 births
- 1970s
1970s
1,320 births
- 1980s
1980s
864 births
- 1990s
1990s
784 births
- 2000s
2000s
528 births
- 2010s 233
2010s
233 births
- 2020s 78
2020s
78 births
What this shows Peak: 1970s at 1,320 births (26% of all-time use).
How Nicola 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 Nicola's total volume
Nicola vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Nicola by state
Where Nicola concentrates geographically, total births since 1920
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 647 | 12.7% |
| #2 | New York | | 498 | 9.8% |
| #3 | Pennsylvania | | 168 | 3.3% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 154 | 3.0% |
| #5 | Michigan | | 116 | 2.3% |
| #6 | New Jersey | | 108 | 2.1% |
| #7 | Florida | | 94 | 1.9% |
| #8 | Ohio | | 93 | 1.8% |
California share of Nicola's total US births 12.7%
Even split
647 of 5,078 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 25 reporting states.
Nicola appears in 25 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Nicola? ▼
Since 1920, Social Security records show 5,078 babies named Nicola. Today it holds rank #7299 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 1972, with 183 births.
When was Nicola most popular? ▼
Nicola was most popular in the 1970s decade with 1,320 total births. The single peak year was 1972.
Where is Nicola most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Nicola are California (647 births), New York (498 births), Pennsylvania (168 births).
Is Nicola a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Nicola is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 5,078 births, and as a boy's name it has 3,012 births.
How long has the name Nicola been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Nicola since 1920 -- 106 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Nicola? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Nicole, Nichole, Nicolette, Nicki, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Nicola's data
- Nicola's decade-level peak was the 1970s (1,320 total births); usage has since declined to 78 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Nicolas (647 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 Nicola
Nearby Names Like Nicola
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Nicola
Nicole Girl
#318 594,500 births
Nichole Girl
#3343 63,770 births
Nicolette Girl
#2015 17,129 births
Nicki Girl
6,083 births
Nicolle Girl
#3025 6,077 births
Compare Nicola side by side: Nicola vs Nicole Nicola vs Nichole Nicola vs Nicolette
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Nicola
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, 1920–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Nicola: #7299 Unisex Name - 5,078 Births, Peak 1972." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/nicola. 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 Nicola 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.