Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 2000

Niklas

Gender Boy Rank 2025 #8,060

Niklas is a masculine given name, a Germanic variant of Nicholas.

Rank 2025
#8,060
among boys · ↑5,600 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
10
named Niklas
How common
1 in 170,808
boys born in 2025
Peak year
2000
90 babies
All-time total
1,711
#3,640 all-time among boys
First recorded
1976
in Social Security records

Niklas popularity over time

1,711 babies have been named Niklas since 1976, 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
0.010.030.040.0518801900192019401960198020002020Peak 2000Boys

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 22 2 – #3,744
1980s 155 16 +605% #2,235
1990s 486 49 +214% #1,410
2000s 686 69 +41% #1,397
2010s 296 30 -57% #2,312
2020s (to 2025) 66 11 -63% #4,886

The story of Niklas

Niklas is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #8,060 in 2025 with 10 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1976, 1,711 American babies have been named Niklas. Its peak came in 2000, when 90 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 Niklas stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Niklas?

The median living Niklas is about 23 years old; half are between 17 and 29. An estimated 1,700 people named Niklas are alive in the United States today.

median 23 020406080100

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

Niklas year by year

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

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 10 #8,060
2024 5 #13,660
2023 9 #8,723
2022 10 #8,138
2021 20 #4,886
2020 12 #6,916
2019 15 #6,024
2018 13 #6,594
2017 29 #3,744
2016 25 #4,171
2015 24 #4,251
2014 24 #4,222
2013 45 #2,656
2012 35 #3,220
2011 30 #3,577
2010 56 #2,312
2009 49 #2,579
2008 48 #2,614
2007 66 #2,087
2006 78 #1,784
2005 77 #1,735
2004 58 #2,067
2003 74 #1,683
2002 71 #1,677
2001 75 #1,597
2000 90 #1,397
1995 40 #2,087
1990 33 #2,200
1985 17 #2,912
1980 13 #3,378
1975 – –
1970 – –
1965 – –
1960 – –
1955 – –
1950 – –
1945 – –
1940 – –
1935 – –
1930 – –
1925 – –
1920 – –
1915 – –
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Niklas

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

  1. 1 Niklas Luhmann Niklas Luhmann German sociologist (1927–1998) Contemporary
  2. 2 Niklas Zennström Niklas Zennström Swedish entrepreneur (born 1966) Contemporary
  3. 3 Niklas Kronwall Niklas Kronwall Swedish ice hockey player (born 1981) Contemporary
  4. 4 Niklas Landin Jacobsen Niklas Landin Jacobsen Danish handball player (born 1988) Contemporary
  5. 5 Niklas Hjalmarsson Niklas Hjalmarsson Swedish ice hockey player (born 1987) Contemporary
  6. 6 Niklas Moisander Niklas Moisander Finnish footballer (born 1985) Contemporary
  7. 7 Niklas Sundin Niklas Sundin Swedish guitarist b. 1974 · Contemporary
  8. 8 Niklas Stark Niklas Stark German footballer (born 1995) Contemporary
  9. 9 Niklas Hagman Niklas Hagman Finnish ice hockey player (born 1979) Contemporary
  10. 10 Niklas Hult Niklas Hult Swedish footballer (born 1990) Contemporary
  11. 11 Niklas Backman Niklas Backman Swedish footballer (born 1988) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Niklas?

The median living Niklas is about 23 years old. Half of all living Niklass are between 17 and 29 years old.

How many people named Niklas are alive today?

An estimated 1,700 people named Niklas are alive in the United States, based on 1,711 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Niklas mean?

Niklas is a masculine given name, a Germanic variant of Nicholas.

How popular is the name Niklas in 2025?

Niklas ranked #8,060 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 10 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Niklas?

1,711 babies have been named Niklas in the United States since 1976, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Niklas most popular?

Niklas peaked in 2000, when 90 newborns received the name.

Is Niklas a boy or girl name?

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

Is the name Niklas rising or falling?

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

Who are famous people named Niklas?

Well-known people named Niklas include Niklas Luhmann (sociologist), Niklas Zennström (businessperson), Niklas Kronwall (hockey player).

Names like Niklas

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

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