Nikhil: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

#2,869

among boys · ↓322 vs 2024

Babies in 2025

named Nikhil · -17% vs 2024

How common

1 in 38,820

boys born in 2025

Peak year

2007

261 babies

All-time total

5,404

#1,704 all-time among boys

First recorded

1971

in Social Security records

Nikhil popularity over time

5,404 babies have been named Nikhil since 1971, 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

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	–	–	–	–
1970s	111	11	–	#1,949
1980s	426	43	+284%	#1,183
1990s	1,073	107	+152%	#813
2000s	2,141	214	+100%	#823
2010s	1,320	132	-38%	#1,016
2020s (to 2025)	333	56	-58%	#2,039

Where Nikhil is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year	Projected babies	Per 1,000 boys	Implied rank
2026	41	0.02	outside top 500
2027	39	0.02	outside top 500
2028	38	0.02	outside top 500
2029	36	0.02	outside top 500
2030	35	0.02	outside top 500

Where Nikhil is most popular

Boys named Nikhil per 1,000 boys born in each state, 2021–2025. National average: 0.030 per 1,000. Strongest in California, New York, and New Jersey.

Vs national average

well below below near national above well above no data

All 50 states and DC, sorted by rate. Counts are boys named Nikhil born 2021–2025; the per-1,000 rate makes states of different sizes comparable, and the last column shows each state against the national average.

State	Boys 2021–2025	Per 1,000	vs national
California	63	0.069	+126%
New York	17	0.039	+29%
New Jersey	5	0.025	-18%
Georgia	5	0.020	-35%
Pennsylvania	5	0.019	-38%
Texas	12	0.014	-55%
Alaska	–	–	–
Alabama	–	–	–
Arkansas	–	–	–
Arizona	–	–	–
Colorado	–	–	–
Connecticut	–	–	–
District of Columbia	–	–	–
Delaware	–	–	–
Florida	–	–	–
Hawaii	–	–	–
Iowa	–	–	–
Idaho	–	–	–
Illinois	–	–	–
Indiana	–	–	–
Kansas	–	–	–
Kentucky	–	–	–
Louisiana	–	–	–
Massachusetts	–	–	–
Maryland	–	–	–
Maine	–	–	–
Michigan	–	–	–
Minnesota	–	–	–
Missouri	–	–	–
Mississippi	–	–	–
Montana	–	–	–
North Carolina	–	–	–
North Dakota	–	–	–
Nebraska	–	–	–
New Hampshire	–	–	–
New Mexico	–	–	–
Nevada	–	–	–
Ohio	–	–	–
Oklahoma	–	–	–
Oregon	–	–	–
Rhode Island	–	–	–
South Carolina	–	–	–
South Dakota	–	–	–
Tennessee	–	–	–
Utah	–	–	–
Virginia	–	–	–
Vermont	–	–	–
Washington	–	–	–
Wisconsin	–	–	–
West Virginia	–	–	–
Wyoming	–	–	–

State counts come from the Social Security Administration's state files, which omit any state-year with fewer than five babies of a name, so small states can undercount slightly.

The story of Nikhil

Nikhil is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,869 in 2025 with 44 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1971, 5,404 American babies have been named Nikhil. Its peak came in 2007, when 261 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2000s.

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 Nikhil stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Nikhil?

The median living Nikhil is about 20 years old; half are between 14 and 27. An estimated 5,300 people named Nikhil are alive in the United States today.

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

Nikhil year by year

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

Year	Boys	Boys rank
2025	44	#2,869
2024	53	#2,547
2023	44	#2,877
2022	54	#2,547
2021	68	#2,127
2020	70	#2,039
2019	65	#2,184
2018	79	#1,895
2017	90	#1,732
2016	93	#1,691
2015	124	#1,393
2014	173	#1,107
2013	156	#1,158
2012	158	#1,158
2011	190	#1,016
2010	192	#1,016
2009	244	#865
2008	241	#881
2007	261	#823
2006	223	#886
2005	209	#876
2004	204	#864
2003	201	#859
2002	182	#893
2001	193	#842
2000	183	#867
1995	100	#1,150
1990	46	#1,746
1985	46	#1,471
1980	23	#2,263
1975	12	#3,186
1970	–	–
1965	–	–
1960	–	–
1955	–	–
1950	–	–
1945	–	–
1940	–	–
1935	–	–
1930	–	–
1925	–	–
1920	–	–
1915	–	–
1910	–	–
1905	–	–
1900	–	–
1895	–	–
1890	–	–
1885	–	–
1880	–	–

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Nikhil?

The median living Nikhil is about 20 years old. Half of all living Nikhils are between 14 and 27 years old.

How many people named Nikhil are alive today?

An estimated 5,300 people named Nikhil are alive in the United States, based on 5,404 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Nikhil in 2025?

Nikhil ranked #2,869 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 44 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Nikhil?

5,404 babies have been named Nikhil in the United States since 1971, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Nikhil most popular?

Nikhil peaked in 2007, when 261 newborns received the name.

Is Nikhil a boy or girl name?

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

Is the name Nikhil rising or falling?

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

Will Nikhil become more popular?

Nikhil is trending downward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 35 boys named Nikhil in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Names like Nikhil

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

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