Boys' name · since 1962
Nicolai
Nicolai has 1,865 recorded births since 1962 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2015 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #3,449 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #2,581 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 1,865
- born since 1962
- 2010s
- peak decade
Yes -- Nicolai is the #2581 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 1,865 recorded since 1962.
Social Security Administration records show Nicolai recorded 1,865 times among boys since 1962, holding rank #2581 nationally today, ahead of 81% of boys, peaking in the 2010s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1962 to 2025.
- #3,449 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- #2,581 of 13,930 2025 SSA year
- 1,865 born since 1962
- 2010s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Nicolai ranks #3,449 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first) and #2,581 of 13,930 among boys' names in 2025. 1,865 born since 1962, peaking in the 2010s.
- #3,449 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #2,581 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 1,865
- born since 1962
- 2010s
- peak decade
Nicolai's 1,865 recorded births place it above 92.41% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
10 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by California.
How Nicolai compares
1,865 Top 23% higher than 77% of 13,930 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys 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
Nicolai's all-time total is 5x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Nicolai | Median boys name (Takari) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,865 | 369 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 78 | 34 | 22,252 |
Nicolai's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Nicolai's SSA record in two at 1999 and the more recent half accounts for 76% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 24%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1974, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2015 peak of 78, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Nicolai popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1962–2025
- Peak year (2015)
- 78
- Annual births at peak, across 64 years of records
Nicolai by decade
2010s is the heaviest window (607 births, 33% of the file).
2010s was Nicolai's strongest decade.
607 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 33% of all-time use.
Nicolai births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1960s 12
1960s
12 births
- 1970s 48
1970s
48 births
- 1980s 125
1980s
125 births
- 1990s
1990s
284 births
- 2000s
2000s
463 births
- 2010s
2010s
607 births
- 2020s
2020s
326 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 607 births (33% of all-time use).
How Nicolai 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 Nicolai's total volume
Nicolai by state
Where Nicolai concentrates geographically, total births since 1962
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 307 | 16.5% |
| #2 | Texas | | 104 | 5.6% |
| #3 | Florida | | 73 | 3.9% |
| #4 | New York | | 30 | 1.6% |
| #5 | Ohio | | 11 | 0.6% |
| #6 | Virginia | | 10 | 0.5% |
| #7 | Pennsylvania | | 8 | 0.4% |
| #8 | Arizona | | 7 | 0.4% |
307 of 1,865 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 10 reporting states.
Nicolai appears in 10 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Nicolai's data
- Nicolai's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (607 total births) through the 2020s (326) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Nicolais (307 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 Nicolai
Nearby Names Like Nicolai
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Nicolai
Compare Nicolai side by side: Nicolai vs Nicholas Nicolai vs Nicolas Nicolai vs Nick
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Nicolai
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Nicolai: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~2015)
Similar record span (~63 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, 1962–2025 (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 Nicolai 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.