Boys' name · since 1955
Nikolaus
Nikolaus has 2,656 recorded births since 1955 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1994 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #2,756 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #4,286 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 2,656
- born since 1955
- 1990s
- peak decade
Yes -- Nikolaus is the #4286 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 2,656 recorded since 1955.
Social Security Administration records show Nikolaus recorded 2,656 times among boys since 1955, holding rank #4286 nationally today, ahead of 69% of boys, 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 1955 to 2025.
- #2,756 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- #4,286 of 13,930 2025 SSA year
- 2,656 born since 1955
- 1990s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Nikolaus ranks #2,756 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first) and #4,286 of 13,930 among boys' names in 2025. 2,656 born since 1955, peaking in the 1990s.
- #2,756 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #4,286 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 2,656
- born since 1955
- 1990s
- peak decade
Nikolaus's 2,656 recorded births place it above 93.94% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
17 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by California.
How Nikolaus compares
2,656 Top 19% higher than 81% 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
Nikolaus's all-time total is 7x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Nikolaus | Median boys name (Takari) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,656 | 369 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 98 | 34 | 22,252 |
Nikolaus's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Nikolaus's SSA record in two at 1996 and the more recent half accounts for 49% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 51%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1955, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1994 peak of 98, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Nikolaus popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1955–2025
- Peak year (1994)
- 98
- Annual births at peak, across 71 years of records
Nikolaus by decade
1990s is the heaviest window (830 births, 31% of the file).
1990s was Nikolaus's strongest decade.
830 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 31% of all-time use.
Nikolaus births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 5
- 1960s 22
- 1970s 198
- 1980s
- 1990s
- 2000s
- 2010s 297
- 2020s 148
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 830 births (31% of all-time use).
How Nikolaus 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 Nikolaus's total volume
Nikolaus by state
Where Nikolaus concentrates geographically, total births since 1955
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 314 | 11.8% |
| #2 | Texas | | 105 | 4.0% |
| #3 | New York | | 51 | 1.9% |
| #4 | Pennsylvania | | 49 | 1.8% |
| #5 | Florida | | 37 | 1.4% |
| #6 | Michigan | | 35 | 1.3% |
| #7 | Wisconsin | | 32 | 1.2% |
| #8 | Illinois | | 26 | 1.0% |
314 of 2,656 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 17 reporting states.
Nikolaus appears in 17 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Nikolaus? ▼
Where does Nikolaus sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Nikolaus most popular? ▼
Where is Nikolaus most popular? ▼
How long has the name Nikolaus been used? ▼
What names are similar to Nikolaus? ▼
What to do with Nikolaus's data
- Nikolaus's decade-level peak was the 1990s (830 total births); usage has since declined to 148 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Nikolauss (314 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 Nikolaus
Nearby Names Like Nikolaus
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Nikolaus
Compare Nikolaus side by side: Nikolaus vs Nikolas Nikolaus vs Niko Nikolaus vs Nikolai
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Nikolaus
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Nikolaus: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1994)
Similar record span (~70 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, 1955–2025 (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 Nikolaus 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.