Nikita
From the Russian Ники́та (Nikíta), a male given name, from Ancient Greek Νικήτας (Nikḗtas, “conqueror”) also a male given name (and name of various saints).
Every Nikita since 1949 — 13,668 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Nikita
Nikita is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #4,524 in 2025 with 31 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1949, 13,668 American babies have been named Nikita — about 79% girls and 21% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1986, when 1,066 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1980s.
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 Nikita stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Nikita year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 31 | #4,524 | 25 | #4,217 |
| 2024 | 32 | #4,451 | 34 | #3,439 |
| 2023 | 42 | #3,696 | 59 | #2,357 |
| 2022 | 35 | #4,179 | 54 | #2,548 |
| 2021 | 51 | #3,199 | 77 | #1,951 |
| 2020 | 46 | #3,376 | 64 | #2,181 |
| 2019 | 44 | #3,539 | 66 | #2,164 |
| 2018 | 55 | #2,994 | 79 | #1,896 |
| 2017 | 60 | #2,829 | 69 | #2,045 |
| 2016 | 72 | #2,514 | 94 | #1,682 |
| 2015 | 93 | #2,100 | 92 | #1,701 |
| 2014 | 79 | #2,342 | 101 | #1,572 |
| 2013 | 108 | #1,873 | 75 | #1,892 |
| 2012 | 112 | #1,819 | 84 | #1,782 |
| 2011 | 139 | #1,576 | 79 | #1,820 |
| 2010 | 124 | #1,701 | 103 | #1,556 |
| 2009 | 84 | #2,333 | 116 | #1,450 |
| 2008 | 106 | #1,989 | 117 | #1,429 |
| 2007 | 108 | #1,920 | 88 | #1,717 |
| 2006 | 122 | #1,719 | 95 | #1,558 |
| 2005 | 115 | #1,728 | 74 | #1,784 |
| 2004 | 149 | #1,402 | 88 | #1,527 |
| 2003 | 153 | #1,338 | 79 | #1,606 |
| 2002 | 206 | #1,047 | 76 | #1,604 |
| 2001 | 214 | #1,008 | 59 | #1,886 |
| 2000 | 250 | #884 | 58 | #1,842 |
| 1995 | 190 | #989 | 38 | #2,162 |
| 1990 | 337 | #661 | 38 | #2,005 |
| 1985 | 162 | #961 | 29 | #2,001 |
| 1980 | 143 | #1,018 | 9 | #4,394 |
| 1975 | 166 | #821 | 13 | #3,028 |
| 1970 | 60 | #1,593 | 14 | #2,596 |
| 1965 | 24 | #2,518 | 18 | #1,896 |
| 1960 | 56 | #1,478 | 25 | #1,652 |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Nikita
- Nikita Khrushchev Politician · 1894–1971
- Nikita Mikhalkov Film director · b. 1945
- Nikita Ivanovich Panin Politician · 1718–1783
- Nikita Simonyan Soccer player · b. 1926
- Nikita Rukavytsya Soccer player · b. 1987
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Nikita mean?
From the Russian Ники́та (Nikíta), a male given name, from Ancient Greek Νικήτας (Nikḗtas, “conqueror”) also a male given name (and name of various saints).
How popular is the name Nikita in 2025?
Nikita ranked #4,524 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 31 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Nikita?
13,668 babies have been named Nikita in the United States since 1949, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Nikita most popular?
Nikita peaked in 1986, when 1,066 newborns received the name.
Is Nikita a boy or girl name?
Nikita is used for both: about 79% of babies named Nikita have been girls and 21% boys.
Is the name Nikita rising or falling?
Nikita is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Nikita?
Well-known people named Nikita include Nikita Khrushchev (politician), Nikita Mikhalkov (film director), Nikita Ivanovich Panin (politician).