Unisex name · since 1999

Nikel

Since 1999, U.S. Social Security records show 10 babies named Nikel, peaking in 1999. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.

#35,381 of 45,481
all-time among boys
10
born since 1999
1990s
peak decade

Nikel is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 10 have been recorded since 1999.

Social Security Administration records show Nikel recorded 10 times among boys since 1999, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1990s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1999 to 2008.

  • #35,381 of 45,481 all-time among boys
  • 10 born since 1999
  • 1990s peak decade

Data updated Aug 2026

The verdict

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Nikel ranks #35,381 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 10 born since 1999, peaking in the 1990s.

#35,381 of 45,481
all-time among boys
10
born since 1999
1990s
peak decade
Rare archive record
All-time archive position

Nikel's 10 recorded births place it above 21.08% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.

National only
State-record footprint

No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.

Nikel's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Nikel splits its recorded history at 2008: 50% of all births land in the more recent half, 50% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1999 (5 births).

Nikel popularity over time - boys

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1999–2008

Last recorded 2008
Peak year (1999)
5
Annual births at peak, across 10 years of records
5 19992008 5

Nikel popularity over time - girls

5 total births recorded since 1999 (Nikel as girls' name)

Unisex variant - 5 births
5 1999 5

Nikel by decade

1990s is the heaviest window (5 births, 50% of the file).

1990s was Nikel's strongest decade.

5 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 50% of all-time use.

Nikel births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1990s at 5 births (50% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of August 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Nikel? ▼
10 babies have been named Nikel since 1999. All-time, it sits at #35,381 of 45,481 boys' names by recorded births. It was last recorded in 2008. The peak year was 1999 with 5 births.
Where does Nikel sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Nikel ranks #35,381 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). All-time ordinal matches browse popularity (total births DESC); the current ordinal uses the null SSA file. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
When was Nikel most popular? ▼
Nikel was most popular in the 1990s decade with 5 total births. The single peak year was 1999.
Is Nikel a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Nikel is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 10 births, and as a girl's name it has 5 births.
How long has the name Nikel been used? ▼
Records for Nikel go back to 1999, giving 10 years of history through 2008.
What names are similar to Nikel? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Nikolas, Niko, Nikolai, Nikhil, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.

What to do with Nikel's data

  • Nikel's usage has stayed within range of its 1990s decade-level peak (5 total births) through the 2000s (5) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.

Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.

Keep exploring Nikel

Nearby Names Like Nikel

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Nikel

Nikolas Boy
#717 24,035 births
Niko Boy
#325 14,629 births
Nikolai Boy
#605 11,027 births
Nikhil Boy
#2853 5,404 births
Nikko Boy
#1317 4,526 births

Compare Nikel side by side: Nikel vs Nikolas Nikel vs Niko Nikel vs Nikolai

Or pick any two names to compare →

Related Names

Names with a similar number of total births

Bunk
10 births · Peak 1884
Matilda
10 births · Peak 1885
Sank
10 births · Peak 1890
Schley
10 births · Peak 1898
Pet
10 births · Peak 1900
Wert
10 births · Peak 1900
Every
10 births · Peak 1901
Zennie
10 births · Peak 1910

Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span

Two nationwide peer axes for Nikel: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.

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, 1999–2008 (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 Nikel 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.