Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1994

Nikolaus

Meaning Nikolaus is a given name Gender Boy Rank 2025 #4,346 Trend → Stable

Nikolaus is a given name. Notable people with this name include the following:

Rank 2025
#4,346
among boys · ↓681 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
24
named Nikolaus · -23% vs 2024
How common
1 in 71,170
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1994
98 babies
All-time total
2,656
#2,756 all-time among boys
First recorded
1955
in Social Security records

Nikolaus popularity over time

2,656 babies have been named Nikolaus since 1955, 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
0.020.040.060.0818801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1994Boys

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 5 1 – #4,226
1960s 22 2 +340% #3,293
1970s 198 20 +800% #1,097
1980s 617 62 +212% #1,086
1990s 830 83 +35% #1,127
2000s 539 54 -35% #1,634
2010s 297 30 -45% #2,609
2020s (to 2025) 148 25 -17% #3,471

Where Nikolaus 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 24 0.01 outside top 500
2027 24 0.01 outside top 500
2028 24 0.01 outside top 500
2029 25 0.01 outside top 500
2030 25 0.01 outside top 500

The story of Nikolaus

Nikolaus is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #4,346 in 2025 with 24 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1955, 2,656 American babies have been named Nikolaus. Its peak came in 1994, when 98 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1990s.

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

How old are people named Nikolaus?

The median living Nikolaus is about 30 years old; half are between 20 and 38. An estimated 2,600 people named Nikolaus are alive in the United States today.

median 30 020406080100

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

Nikolaus year by year

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

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 24 #4,346
2024 31 #3,665
2023 15 #6,138
2022 24 #4,399
2021 33 #3,471
2020 21 #4,656
2019 33 #3,472
2018 19 #5,053
2017 27 #3,949
2016 23 #4,430
2015 22 #4,505
2014 47 #2,609
2013 25 #4,030
2012 29 #3,685
2011 28 #3,761
2010 44 #2,772
2009 43 #2,830
2008 48 #2,615
2007 35 #3,227
2006 40 #2,864
2005 52 #2,288
2004 63 #1,948
2003 64 #1,865
2002 54 #2,037
2001 68 #1,705
2000 72 #1,634
1995 87 #1,253
1990 75 #1,283
1985 50 #1,382
1980 70 #1,086
1975 10 #3,601
1970 9 #3,449
1965 – –
1960 – –
1955 5 #4,226
1950 – –
1945 – –
1940 – –
1935 – –
1930 – –
1925 – –
1920 – –
1915 – –
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Nikolaus

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

  1. 1 Nikolaus von Falkenhorst Nikolaus von Falkenhorst German general (1885–1968) 19th century
  2. 2 Nikolaus Pevsner Nikolaus Pevsner German-British historian (1902–1983) Contemporary
  3. 3 Nikolaus, Hereditary Grand Duke of Oldenburg Nikolaus, Hereditary Grand Duke of Oldenburg Hereditary Grand Duke of Oldenburg 1897–1970 · 19th century
  4. 4 Nikolaus Harnoncourt Nikolaus Harnoncourt Austrian conductor (1929–2016) Contemporary
  5. 5 Nikolaus I, Prince Esterházy Nikolaus I, Prince Esterházy Hungarian prince 1714–1790 · 18th century
  6. 6 Nikolaus Federmann Nikolaus Federmann 16th-century German conquistador in South America 1505–1542 · 16th century
  7. 7 Nikolaus Lenau Nikolaus Lenau Austrian poet (1802–1850) 19th century
  8. 8 Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin Chemist, physician and botanist from the Netherlands 1727–1817 · 18th century
  9. 9 Nikolaus Otto Nikolaus Otto Inventor of the internal combustion engine 1832–1891 · 19th century

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Nikolaus?

The median living Nikolaus is about 30 years old. Half of all living Nikolauss are between 20 and 38 years old.

How many people named Nikolaus are alive today?

An estimated 2,600 people named Nikolaus are alive in the United States, based on 2,656 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Nikolaus mean?

Nikolaus is a given name. Notable people with this name include the following:

How popular is the name Nikolaus in 2025?

Nikolaus ranked #4,346 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 24 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Nikolaus?

2,656 babies have been named Nikolaus in the United States since 1955, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Nikolaus most popular?

Nikolaus peaked in 1994, when 98 newborns received the name.

Is Nikolaus a boy or girl name?

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

Is the name Nikolaus rising or falling?

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

Will Nikolaus become more popular?

Nikolaus looks stable. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 25 boys named Nikolaus in 2030, ranking outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Nikolaus?

Well-known people named Nikolaus include Nikolaus von Falkenhorst (military personnel), Nikolaus Pevsner (historian), Nikolaus, Hereditary Grand Duke of Oldenburg (politician).

Names like Nikolaus

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

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