Nikolai
A transliteration of the Russian male given name Николай (Nikolaj), equivalent to Nicholas.
Every Nikolai since 1960 — 11,027 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Nikolai
Nikolai is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #605 in 2025 with 469 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1960, 11,027 American babies have been named Nikolai. Its peak came in 2016, when 639 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
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 Nikolai stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Nikolai year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 469 | #605 |
| 2024 | 484 | #594 |
| 2023 | 470 | #604 |
| 2022 | 491 | #584 |
| 2021 | 622 | #481 |
| 2020 | 521 | #545 |
| 2019 | 554 | #515 |
| 2018 | 614 | #474 |
| 2017 | 573 | #507 |
| 2016 | 639 | #480 |
| 2015 | 629 | #476 |
| 2014 | 516 | #540 |
| 2013 | 436 | #585 |
| 2012 | 421 | #602 |
| 2011 | 365 | #640 |
| 2010 | 313 | #734 |
| 2009 | 299 | #760 |
| 2008 | 231 | #903 |
| 2007 | 208 | #953 |
| 2006 | 163 | #1,084 |
| 2005 | 162 | #1,039 |
| 2004 | 141 | #1,125 |
| 2003 | 124 | #1,194 |
| 2002 | 116 | #1,203 |
| 2001 | 108 | #1,239 |
| 2000 | 80 | #1,513 |
| 1995 | 68 | #1,451 |
| 1990 | 52 | #1,604 |
| 1985 | 32 | #1,857 |
| 1980 | 26 | #2,098 |
| 1975 | 31 | #1,651 |
| 1970 | 10 | #3,208 |
| 1965 | 8 | #3,169 |
| 1960 | 6 | #3,940 |
| 1955 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Nikolai
- Nikolai Gogol Writer · 1809–1852
- Nikolai Yezhov Politician · 1895–1940
- Nikolai Bukharin Politician · 1888–1938
- Nikolai Vavilov Biologist · 1887–1943
- Nikolai Lobachevsky Mathematician · 1792–1856
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Nikolai mean?
A transliteration of the Russian male given name Николай (Nikolaj), equivalent to Nicholas.
How popular is the name Nikolai in 2025?
Nikolai ranked #605 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 469 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Nikolai?
11,027 babies have been named Nikolai in the United States since 1960, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Nikolai most popular?
Nikolai peaked in 2016, when 639 newborns received the name.
Is Nikolai a boy or girl name?
Nikolai is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Nikolai rising or falling?
Nikolai has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Nikolai?
Well-known people named Nikolai include Nikolai Gogol (writer), Nikolai Yezhov (politician), Nikolai Bukharin (politician).