Total births
1,141
Boys' name · since 1971
Nicolaus
Nicolaus has 1,141 recorded births since 1971 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1998 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 1,141
- total births
- 1971–2023
- years on record
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 33%
- born in that decade
1,141 boys have been named Nicolaus since 1971, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Nicolaus has 1,141 recorded births among boys since 1971, 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 1971 to 2023.
- 1,141 total births
- 1971–2023 years on record
- 1990s peak decade
- 33% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
1,141 boys have been named Nicolaus since 1971, peaking in the 1990s, last recorded in 2023.
- 1,141
- total births
- 1971–2023
- years on record
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 33%
- born in that decade
1990s
Peak decade
33% of everyone ever named Nicolaus was born in this single decade.
1998
Single peak year
47 babies were named Nicolaus in 1998 - its busiest year on record.
Nicolaus's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Nicolaus's SSA record in two at 1996 and the more recent half accounts for 48% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 52%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1971, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1998 peak of 47, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Nicolaus at a glance
Last recorded 2023Peak year
1998
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1971
Nicolaus popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1971–2023
- Peak year (1998)
- 47
- Annual births at peak, across 53 years of records
Nicolaus by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Nicolaus's strongest decade.
374 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 33% of all-time use.
Nicolaus births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 101
1970s
101 births
- 1980s
1980s
270 births
- 1990s
1990s
374 births
- 2000s
2000s
266 births
- 2010s 115
2010s
115 births
- 2020s 15
2020s
15 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 374 births (33% of all-time use).
How Nicolaus 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 Nicolaus's total volume
Nicolaus vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Nicolaus by state
Where Nicolaus concentrates geographically, total births since 1971
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 174 | 15.2% |
| #2 | Texas | | 39 | 3.4% |
| #3 | Florida | | 5 | 0.4% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 5 | 0.4% |
| #5 | Pennsylvania | | 5 | 0.4% |
California share of Nicolaus's total US births 15.2%
Even split
174 of 1,141 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 5 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Nicolaus? ▼
Nicolaus has been given to 1,141 babies in the U.S. since 1971, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 2023. 47 babies were born in 1998, its single highest year.
When was Nicolaus most popular? ▼
Nicolaus was most popular in the 1990s decade with 374 total births. The single peak year was 1998.
Where is Nicolaus most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Nicolaus are California (174 births), Texas (39 births), Florida (5 births).
How long has the name Nicolaus been used? ▼
Records for Nicolaus go back to 1971, giving 53 years of history through 2023.
What names are similar to Nicolaus? ▼
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 Nicolaus's data
- Nicolaus's decade-level peak was the 1990s (374 total births); usage has since declined to 15 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Nicolauss (174 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 Nicolaus
Nearby Names Like Nicolaus
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Nicolaus
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 Nicolaus side by side: Nicolaus vs Nicholas Nicolaus vs Nicolas Nicolaus 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, 1971–2023 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Nicolaus: Baby Name Since 1971 - 1,141 Births, Peak 1998." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/nicolaus. 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 Nicolaus 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.