Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 2009

Nikos

Gender Boy Rank 2025 #7,076

A transliteration of the Greek male given name Νίκος (Níkos) used in Greece.

Rank 2025
#7,076
among boys · ↓975 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
12
named Nikos
How common
1 in 142,340
boys born in 2025
Peak year
2009
28 babies
All-time total
882
#5,561 all-time among boys
First recorded
1962
in Social Security records

Nikos popularity over time

882 babies have been named Nikos since 1962, 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
00.010.010.0218801900192019401960198020002020Peak 2009Boys

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 41 4 – #2,197
1970s 91 9 +122% #2,863
1980s 128 13 +41% #2,642
1990s 152 15 +19% #3,321
2000s 195 20 +28% #3,716
2010s 186 19 -5% #4,462
2020s (to 2025) 89 15 -20% #4,888

The story of Nikos

Nikos is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #7,076 in 2025 with 12 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1962, 882 American babies have been named Nikos. Its peak came in 2009, when 28 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 Nikos stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Nikos?

The median living Nikos is about 23 years old; half are between 12 and 37. An estimated 900 people named Nikos 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.

Nikos year by year

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

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 12 #7,076
2024 15 #6,101
2023 11 #7,609
2022 18 #5,367
2021 20 #4,888
2020 13 #6,533
2019 17 #5,498
2018 16 #5,711
2017 16 #5,710
2016 20 #4,892
2015 22 #4,506
2014 22 #4,489
2013 15 #5,841
2012 17 #5,427
2011 22 #4,462
2010 19 #4,980
2009 28 #3,798
2008 25 #4,109
2007 14 #6,170
2006 23 #4,186
2005 21 #4,293
2004 25 #3,716
2003 13 #5,787
2002 15 #5,075
2001 10 #6,788
2000 21 #3,876
1995 15 #4,212
1990 9 #5,691
1985 13 #3,542
1980 11 #3,776
1975 14 #2,863
1970 10 #3,209
1965 – –
1960 – –
1955 – –
1950 – –
1945 – –
1940 – –
1935 – –
1930 – –
1925 – –
1920 – –
1915 – –
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Nikos

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

  1. 1 Nikos Kazantzakis Nikos Kazantzakis Greek writer and philosopher (1883–1957) 19th century
  2. 2 Nikos Galis Nikos Galis Greek basketball player (born 1957) Contemporary
  3. 3 Nikos Sampson Greek-Cypriot militant, politician and acting president (1935–2001) Contemporary
  4. 4 Nikos Vertis Nikos Vertis Greek singer b. 1976 · Contemporary
  5. 5 Nikos Dabizas Greek former professional footballer b. 1973 · Contemporary
  6. 6 Nikos Anastopoulos Nikos Anastopoulos Greek footballer b. 1958 · Contemporary
  7. 7 Nikos Machlas Greek footballer b. 1973 · Contemporary
  8. 8 Nikos Liberopoulos Nikos Liberopoulos Greek footballer (born 1975) Contemporary
  9. 9 Nikos Zachariadis Nikos Zachariadis General Secretary of the Communist Party of Greece from 1931 to 1956 1903–1973 · Contemporary
  10. 10 Nikos Zisis Nikos Zisis Greek basketball player (born 1983) Contemporary
  11. 11 Nikos Karelis Nikos Karelis Greek footballer (born 1992) Contemporary
  12. 12 Nikos Beloyannis Nikos Beloyannis Greek resistance leader during World War II; leading cadre of the Greek Communist Party 1915–1952 · Contemporary
  13. 13 Nikos Skalkottas Nikos Skalkottas Greek composer 1904–1949 · Contemporary
  14. 14 Nikos Koundouros Greek film director 1926–2017 · Contemporary
  15. 15 Nikos Kotzias Nikos Kotzias Greek politician and academic b. 1950 · Contemporary
  16. 16 Nikos Spyropoulos Nikos Spyropoulos Greek footballer b. 1983 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Nikos?

The median living Nikos is about 23 years old. Half of all living Nikoss are between 12 and 37 years old.

How many people named Nikos are alive today?

An estimated 900 people named Nikos are alive in the United States, based on 882 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Nikos mean?

A transliteration of the Greek male given name Νίκος (Níkos) used in Greece.

How popular is the name Nikos in 2025?

Nikos ranked #7,076 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 12 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Nikos?

882 babies have been named Nikos in the United States since 1962, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Nikos most popular?

Nikos peaked in 2009, when 28 newborns received the name.

Is Nikos a boy or girl name?

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

Is the name Nikos rising or falling?

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

Who are famous people named Nikos?

Well-known people named Nikos include Nikos Kazantzakis (writer), Nikos Galis (basketball player), Nikos Sampson (politician).

Names like Nikos

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

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