Niklaus: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

#1,407

among boys · ↓174 vs 2024

Babies in 2025

130

named Niklaus · -20% vs 2024

How common

1 in 13,139

boys born in 2025

Peak year

2021

282 babies

All-time total

2,430

#2,929 all-time among boys

First recorded

1979

in Social Security records

Niklaus popularity over time

2,430 babies have been named Niklaus since 1979, 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	8	1	–	#4,716
1980s	53	5	+563%	#4,819
1990s	115	12	+117%	#3,963
2000s	102	10	-11%	#5,463
2010s	901	90	+783%	#973
2020s (to 2025)	1,251	209	+131%	#844

Where Niklaus 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	124	0.07	outside top 500
2027	120	0.07	outside top 500
2028	116	0.07	outside top 500
2029	113	0.07	outside top 500
2030	110	0.06	outside top 500

Where Niklaus is most popular

Boys named Niklaus per 1,000 boys born in each state, 2021–2025. National average: 0.115 per 1,000. Strongest in Hawaii, South Dakota, and Indiana.

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 Niklaus 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
Hawaii	5	0.322	+179%
South Dakota	5	0.269	+133%
Indiana	35	0.218	+89%
Tennessee	34	0.188	+63%
Michigan	37	0.181	+57%
North Carolina	42	0.164	+43%
Florida	77	0.163	+41%
New York	61	0.141	+22%
Ohio	34	0.128	+11%
Texas	102	0.116	≈ national
Missouri	16	0.115	≈ national
Pennsylvania	28	0.105	-9%
Illinois	26	0.102	-12%
Wisconsin	12	0.101	-12%
Colorado	13	0.101	-13%
Nevada	5	0.088	-24%
Arizona	13	0.079	-31%
Arkansas	5	0.079	-31%
Georgia	20	0.079	-32%
California	69	0.075	-35%
Washington	11	0.067	-42%
Massachusetts	9	0.065	-43%
Louisiana	6	0.059	-49%
Oklahoma	5	0.057	-51%
Kentucky	5	0.050	-57%
New Jersey	10	0.050	-57%
South Carolina	5	0.048	-58%
Virginia	8	0.042	-63%
Alaska	–	–	–
Alabama	–	–	–
Connecticut	–	–	–
District of Columbia	–	–	–
Delaware	–	–	–
Iowa	–	–	–
Idaho	–	–	–
Kansas	–	–	–
Maryland	–	–	–
Maine	–	–	–
Minnesota	–	–	–
Mississippi	–	–	–
Montana	–	–	–
North Dakota	–	–	–
Nebraska	–	–	–
New Hampshire	–	–	–
New Mexico	–	–	–
Oregon	–	–	–
Rhode Island	–	–	–
Utah	–	–	–
Vermont	–	–	–
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 Niklaus

Niklaus is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #1,407 in 2025 with 130 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1979, 2,430 American babies have been named Niklaus. Its peak came in 2021, when 282 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2020s.

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

How old are people named Niklaus?

The median living Niklaus is about 5 years old; half are between 3 and 9. An estimated 2,400 people named Niklaus 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.

Niklaus year by year

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

Year	Boys	Boys rank
2025	130	#1,407
2024	163	#1,233
2023	185	#1,138
2022	236	#962
2021	282	#844
2020	255	#889
2019	221	#973
2018	183	#1,083
2017	156	#1,194
2016	118	#1,462
2015	102	#1,585
2014	63	#2,171
2013	37	#3,038
2012	14	#6,217
2011	–	–
2010	7	#10,436
2009	6	#12,045
2008	5	#14,022
2007	10	#8,004
2006	16	#5,463
2005	7	#9,845
2004	13	#6,045
2003	11	#6,590
2002	12	#5,969
2001	9	#7,344
2000	13	#5,498
1995	12	#5,030
1990	7	#6,947
1985	6	#6,289
1980	8	#4,819
1975	–	–
1970	–	–
1965	–	–
1960	–	–
1955	–	–
1950	–	–
1945	–	–
1940	–	–
1935	–	–
1930	–	–
1925	–	–
1920	–	–
1915	–	–
1910	–	–
1905	–	–
1900	–	–
1895	–	–
1890	–	–
1885	–	–
1880	–	–

Famous people named Niklaus

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

1 Niklaus Wirth Swiss computer scientist (1934–2024) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Niklaus?

The median living Niklaus is about 5 years old. Half of all living Niklauss are between 3 and 9 years old.

How many people named Niklaus are alive today?

An estimated 2,400 people named Niklaus are alive in the United States, based on 2,430 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Niklaus mean?

Niklaus is a masculine given name and surname.

How popular is the name Niklaus in 2025?

Niklaus ranked #1,407 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 130 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Niklaus?

2,430 babies have been named Niklaus in the United States since 1979, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Niklaus most popular?

Niklaus peaked in 2021, when 282 newborns received the name.

Is Niklaus a boy or girl name?

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

Is the name Niklaus rising or falling?

Niklaus is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Will Niklaus become more popular?

Niklaus is trending downward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 110 boys named Niklaus in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Niklaus?

Well-known people named Niklaus include Niklaus Wirth (computer scientist).

Names like Niklaus

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

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