Nikola
Boy name · #1652 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Nikola? In official American birth records, Nikola has been tracked continuously since 1960, giving it 65 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 102 baby boys were named Nikola, placing it at #1652 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1271, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 17,647 boys born in 2025 was named Nikola.
Babies named Nikola per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 65-year story
Nikola first appears in the Social Security records in 1960, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2020, when 151 boys were named Nikola — good for #1237 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Nikola against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Nikola in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Nikola is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Nikola will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Nikola is most common
State-level data for Nikola 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 Nikola
Statistically, parents drawn to Nikola tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kainoa, Simcha, Akiva, Naveen, and Zakaria.
KainoaSimchaAkivaNaveenZakariaYehoshuaNiallShalom
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Nikola | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 102 | #1644 |
| 2024 | 108 | #1589 |
| 2023 | 126 | #1440 |
| 2022 | 125 | #1447 |
| 2021 | 147 | #1291 |
| 2020 | 151 | #1237 |
| 2019 | 134 | #1340 |
| 2018 | 148 | #1244 |
| 2017 | 132 | #1348 |
| 2016 | 132 | #1349 |
| 2015 | 141 | #1271 |
| 2014 | 120 | #1402 |
| 2013 | 110 | #1483 |
| 2012 | 102 | #1551 |
| 2011 | 97 | #1587 |
| 2010 | 81 | #1806 |
| 2009 | 81 | #1825 |
| 2008 | 88 | #1719 |
| 2007 | 65 | #2094 |
| 2006 | 71 | #1893 |
| 2005 | 61 | #2035 |
| 2004 | 73 | #1731 |
| 2003 | 54 | #2077 |
| 2002 | 59 | #1888 |
| 2001 | 76 | #1572 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Nikola?
In official American birth records, the name Nikola first appeared in 1960 (over 65 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 65 years.
Is Nikola a popular boy name?
Nikola ranked #1652 among boys in 2025 with 102 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1271.
When was the name Nikola most popular?
Nikola peaked in 2020, when 151 American boys received the name (ranked #1237 that year). Since 2020 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Nikola?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 17,647 newborn American boys was named Nikola. 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.