Total births
2,430
Boys' name · since 1979
Niklaus
2,430 babies named Niklaus in U.S. Social Security records since 1979, with the highest year being 2021. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #1234
- among boys today
- 2,430
- born since 1979
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 91%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Niklaus is the #1234 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 2,430 recorded since 1979.
Niklaus has 2,430 recorded births among boys since 1979, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #1234 as of the latest data, more common than 91% of boys, busiest in the 2020s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1979 to 2025.
- #1234 among boys today
- 2,430 born since 1979
- 2020s peak decade
- 91% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Niklaus is currently the #1234 boys' name in America, more common than 91% of boys - 2,430 born since 1979, peaking in the 2020s.
- #1234
- among boys today
- 2,430
- born since 1979
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 91%
- more common than other boys
Niklaus vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1234
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 91% of names given to boys today.
2020s
Peak decade
51% of everyone ever named Niklaus was born in this single decade.
2021
Single peak year
282 babies were named Niklaus in 2021 - its busiest year on record.
How Niklaus compares
2,430 Top 19% higher than 81% of 14,294 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
Niklaus's all-time total is 7x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Niklaus | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,430 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 282 | 23 | 22,252 |
Niklaus's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Niklaus's SSA record in two at 2003 and the more recent half accounts for 91% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 9%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1983, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2021 peak of 282, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Niklaus at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2021
Current rank
#1,234
Active since
1979
Niklaus popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1979–2025
- Peak year (2021)
- 282
- Annual births at peak, across 47 years of records
Niklaus by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2020s was Niklaus's strongest decade.
1,251 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 51% of all-time use.
Niklaus births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 8
1970s
8 births
- 1980s 53
1980s
53 births
- 1990s 115
1990s
115 births
- 2000s 102
2000s
102 births
- 2010s
2010s
901 births
- 2020s
2020s
1,251 births
What this shows Peak: 2020s at 1,251 births (51% of all-time use).
How Niklaus 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 Niklaus's total volume
Niklaus vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Niklaus by state
Where Niklaus concentrates geographically, total births since 1979
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 204 | 8.4% |
| #2 | California | | 160 | 6.6% |
| #3 | Florida | | 144 | 5.9% |
| #4 | New York | | 115 | 4.7% |
| #5 | Ohio | | 80 | 3.3% |
| #6 | Pennsylvania | | 74 | 3.0% |
| #7 | Michigan | | 59 | 2.4% |
| #8 | Indiana | | 56 | 2.3% |
Texas share of Niklaus's total US births 8.4%
Even split
204 of 2,430 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 33 reporting states.
Niklaus appears in 33 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Niklaus? ▼
Since 1979, Social Security records show 2,430 babies named Niklaus. Today it holds rank #1234 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 2021, with 282 births.
When was Niklaus most popular? ▼
Niklaus was most popular in the 2020s decade with 1,251 total births. The single peak year was 2021.
Where is Niklaus most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Niklaus are Texas (204 births), California (160 births), Florida (144 births).
How long has the name Niklaus been used? ▼
Niklaus has been recorded in Social Security data since 1979, spanning 47 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Niklaus? ▼
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 Niklaus's data
- Texas records the most Niklauss (204 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Niklaus
Nearby Names Like Niklaus
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Niklaus
Nikolas Boy
#730 24,035 births
Niko Boy
#344 14,629 births
Nikolai Boy
#593 11,027 births
Nikhil Boy
#2541 5,404 births
Nikko Boy
#1280 4,526 births
Compare Niklaus side by side: Niklaus vs Nikolas Niklaus vs Niko Niklaus vs Nikolai
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Niklaus
Ismail #1233
4,022 births · Peak 2025
Davion #1235
13,112 births · Peak 2007
Cristopher #1232
11,898 births · Peak 2007
Cayde #1236
1,676 births · Peak 2019
Noble #1231
9,775 births · Peak 1920
Kashmir #1237
1,357 births · Peak 2022
Sekani #1230
1,333 births · Peak 2019
Perry #1238
76,044 births · Peak 1959
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, 1979–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Niklaus: #1234 Boys' Name - 2,430 Births, Peak 2021." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/niklaus. 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 Niklaus 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.