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© 2026 Namesake · namesake.baby

Data: Social Security Administration, US births 1880–2024

Nicola — Meaning, Origin & Popularity | Namesake
All names
Nicol|Nicolae
Greek◈ Unisex · 48% boy · 52% girl↑↑ Surging

◈= unisex (gender-neutral)

Nicola

◈

NIK-uh-luh · 3 syllables

Share Nicola:
Compare with another name
Boy
#3361
↑↑ Surging
Boy
#3361
Popularity score: 18
↑↑ Surging
Peak
#3255 in 2022
5yr
+490 ranks
Velocity
+490
Birth frequency
9.7 per 1,000,000 births
Girl
#7470
Popularity score: 10
↓ Fading
Peak
#6334 in 2023
5yr
-1136 ranks
Velocity
-1136
Birth frequency
4.2 per 1,000,000 births

Popularity Over Time

↑ Higher on this chart = more popular · ↓ Lower = less popular

How Popular Is This Name?

Bars show the range of popularity for each group. The dot shows where this name sits. Further right = more popular.

BOY
Average0255075100Popularity score (0–100)20202024

Rank #3361 · Rising since 2020

All US boy names
Top 200 boy names
Greek boy names
Nicola

Popularity score: 18  ·  SSA Rank: #3361

GIRL
Average0255075100Popularity score (0–100)20202024

Rank #7470 · Rising since 2020

All US girl names
Top 200 girl names
Greek girl names
Nicola

Popularity score: 10  ·  SSA Rank: #7470

Rare  ·  Distinctive  ·  Familiar  ·  Common  ·  Very Common

Popularity score: 0 = least popular, 100 = most popular. Based on SSA rank.

Namesake Score
84
Higher than 84% of names
Combines uniqueness, trend, meaning, feasibility, and search interest.
Trend
↑↑ Surging
+490 ranks
Based on SSA rank velocity
Feasibility
Limited
.com taken · — · clear
Low friction, available
Uniqueness
55
16 per 10,000 births
Won't be common in class

Nicola is surging in popularity right now.

Meaning Depth37% of score
60
Name Trend28% of score
88
Uniqueness20% of score
55
Feasibility15% of score
50

Scores are percentile-ranked across 43,000+ names.

Name DNA
ClassicGreek originSaint nameUnisex3-syllableInternationalTimelessVictory symbolism
Character
intelligent determinationstrong independencecreative confidencenatural leadershipcompassionate strength
People with this name

Qualities shared by notable Nicolas

dedicatedinnovativedeterminedaccomplishedintelligent
STRONG
High confidence

Nicola is a Greek unisex name with upward momentum in SSA rankings. It ranked #3361 in the US in 2024.

Trend:↑↑ Surging · +490 ranks
Feasibility:.com taken · — · clear
Popularity:#7470 · very rare
Nicola at a Glance
Meaning:Victory of the people. Derived from Nike (goddess of victory) and laos (people), popularized through Saint Nicholas and carried into Romance languages as Nicola.
Language root:Greek · Latin · Romance languages
Peak rank:#3255 in 2022
5yr change:+490 ranks
Sex usage:Boy #3361 · Girl #7470
Notable bearers
Nicola Tesla
Inventor and electrical engineer
Nicola Sturgeon
Scottish politician and First Minister
Nicola Benedetti
Violinist
Nicola Peltz
Actress
Nicola Walker
British actress
Similar Sound
NicolasNikolaiNicoloNilesNicholas
Similar Style
Julian◈MarcusGabriel◈SebastianAlexander
Works well with
OliverEmmaSophieLucasIrisFelixClaraJasper◈
You Might Also Like
Julian◈
Latin · #30
→ Stable
Marcus
Latin · #256
→ Stable
Gabriel◈
Hebrew · #43
→ Stable
Sebastian
Latin · #14
→ Stable
Alexander
Greek · #27
→ Stable
Theodore
Greek · #4
→ Stable
Source: Social Security Administration baby names data. Popularity data reflects US births. Feasibility data updated monthly.
Name Intelligence
Nicola · Overview
Summary

Nicola is a Greek unisex name with upward momentum in SSA rankings. It ranked #3361 in the US in 2024.

Strengths
Strong fundamentals
Nicola scores 84/100 on the Namesake scale — meaning, origin, and trend all contribute positively.
Surging fast
Rank has moved 490 positions in the last year. Exceptional momentum.
Works for any sex
48% boy · 52% girl. A genuinely unisex name is rare at this level of distinctiveness.
Classic · Strong character
Nicola carries a warm, grounded quality that makes it distinctive without being invented.
Considerations
Rising very fast
Nicola is surging. If the trend continues, it may become significantly more common within 2-3 years.
Domain taken
nicola.com is not available. Alternative TLDs may work.
Explore

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Data source:Social Security Administration
Coverage:US births 1879–2024
Updated:January 2025
ISR:Refreshes monthly
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