Niklaus
Boy name · #1407 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Niklaus? In official American birth records, Niklaus has been tracked continuously since 1979, giving it 46 years of documented American history.
Niklaus is currently the #1407 boy name in the United States — 130 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1581, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 13,846 boys born in 2025 was named Niklaus.
The 46-year story
Niklaus first appears in the Social Security records in 1979, when 8 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2021, when 282 boys were named Niklaus — good for #842 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Niklaus per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Niklaus against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Niklaus in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Niklaus is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Niklaus will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Niklaus is most common
State-level data for Niklaus is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Niklaus
Statistically, parents drawn to Niklaus tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Klaus, Kassius, Perseus, Genesis, and Amadeus.
KlausKassiusPerseusGenesisAmadeusIgnatiusKaiusZeus
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Niklaus | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 130 | #1401 |
| 2024 | 163 | #1231 |
| 2023 | 185 | #1137 |
| 2022 | 236 | #959 |
| 2021 | 282 | #842 |
| 2020 | 255 | #886 |
| 2019 | 221 | #968 |
| 2018 | 183 | #1079 |
| 2017 | 156 | #1191 |
| 2016 | 118 | #1456 |
| 2015 | 102 | #1581 |
| 2014 | 63 | #2154 |
| 2013 | 37 | #2998 |
| 2012 | 14 | #6001 |
| 2010 | 7 | #9693 |
| 2009 | 6 | #10994 |
| 2008 | 5 | #12553 |
| 2007 | 10 | #7590 |
| 2006 | 16 | #5303 |
| 2005 | 7 | #9115 |
| 2004 | 13 | #5813 |
| 2003 | 11 | #6258 |
| 2002 | 12 | #5725 |
| 2001 | 9 | #6935 |
| 2000 | 13 | #5297 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Niklaus?
In official American birth records, the name Niklaus first appeared in 1979 (over 46 years ago), when 8 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 46 years.
Is Niklaus a popular boy name?
Niklaus ranked #1407 among boys in 2025 with 130 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1581.
When was the name Niklaus most popular?
Niklaus peaked in 2021, when 282 American boys received the name (ranked #842 that year). Since 2021 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Niklaus?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 13,846 newborn American boys was named Niklaus. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.