Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1996

Nicolaas

Meaning Spelling variant of Nicolas Gender Boy Rank 2025 #11,609

Spelling variant of Nicolas.

Rank 2025
#11,609
among boys
Babies in 2025
6
named Nicolaas
How common
1 in 284,679
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1996
22 babies
All-time total
404
#8,972 all-time among boys
First recorded
1960
in Social Security records

Nicolaas popularity over time

404 babies have been named Nicolaas since 1960, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
00.010.010.0218801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1996Boys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s – – – –
1920s – – – –
1930s – – – –
1940s – – – –
1950s – – – –
1960s 5 1 – #4,432
1970s 19 2 +280% #3,548
1980s 92 9 +384% #3,554
1990s 131 13 +42% #3,264
2000s 102 10 -22% #4,647
2010s 49 5 -52% #8,618
2020s (to 2025) 6 1 -80% #11,609

The story of Nicolaas

Nicolaas is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #11,609 in 2025 with 6 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1960, 404 American babies have been named Nicolaas. Its peak came in 1996, when 22 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1990s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Nicolaas stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Nicolaas?

The median living Nicolaas is about 28 years old; half are between 20 and 36. An estimated 400 people named Nicolaas are alive in the United States today.

median 28 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Nicolaas year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 6 #11,609
2024 – –
2023 – –
2022 – –
2021 – –
2020 – –
2019 – –
2018 – –
2017 7 #10,468
2016 9 #8,618
2015 5 #13,478
2014 – –
2013 5 #13,491
2012 9 #8,672
2011 6 #11,854
2010 8 #9,421
2009 7 #10,651
2008 11 #7,564
2007 7 #10,562
2006 9 #8,539
2005 14 #5,795
2004 7 #9,654
2003 7 #9,336
2002 17 #4,647
2001 14 #5,322
2000 9 #7,237
1995 17 #3,803
1990 7 #6,945
1985 7 #5,577
1980 12 #3,554
1975 – –
1970 – –
1965 – –
1960 5 #4,432
1955 – –
1950 – –
1945 – –
1940 – –
1935 – –
1930 – –
1925 – –
1920 – –
1915 – –
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Nicolaas

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Nicolaas Bloembergen Nicolaas Bloembergen Dutch–American physicist (1920–2017) Contemporary
  2. 2 Nicolaas Beets Nicolaas Beets Dutch theologian, writer and poet 1814–1903 · 19th century
  3. 3 Nicolaas Laurens Burman Nicolaas Laurens Burman Dutch botanist (1734–1793) 18th century

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Nicolaas, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Nicolaas?

The median living Nicolaas is about 28 years old. Half of all living Nicolaass are between 20 and 36 years old.

How many people named Nicolaas are alive today?

An estimated 400 people named Nicolaas are alive in the United States, based on 404 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Nicolaas mean?

Spelling variant of Nicolas.

How popular is the name Nicolaas in 2025?

Nicolaas ranked #11,609 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 6 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Nicolaas?

404 babies have been named Nicolaas in the United States since 1960, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Nicolaas most popular?

Nicolaas peaked in 1996, when 22 newborns received the name.

Is Nicolaas a boy or girl name?

Nicolaas is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Nicolaas rising or falling?

Nicolaas is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Nicolaas?

Well-known people named Nicolaas include Nicolaas Bloembergen (physicist), Nicolaas Beets (writer), Nicolaas Laurens Burman (biologist).

Names like Nicolaas

Names that sound and feel close to Nicolaas: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Nicolaas with similar names → More names starting with N →