Nichols

A boy's name of Greek origin with 758 recorded U.S. births.

Boy's nameRare nameNot ranked recently

Meaning & Origin

A surname transferred from the given name.

Nichols is a boy's baby name of Greek origin, a surname form of Nicholas, from the Greek Nikolaos, meaning 'victory of the people' — from nike (victory) and laos (people). Used as a given name, it follows the American tradition of transferring family surnames to first-name use.

Nichols carries the same victorious meaning as Nicholas in a form that feels more like a distinguished family name. It has the solid, patrician quality of surname-names that were fashionable in nineteenth and early twentieth-century American naming.

EtymologyShow more

Phonetically, Nichols belongs to a cluster of names characterized by their sharp, distinct ending — ending on a consonant gives it a firm, clear close. At two syllables, it has a two-beat rhythm that is easy to call across a room and natural in conversation.

Within the Greek naming tradition, names with similar sound structures often share underlying etymological patterns. Exploring Greek names on this site may surface connections that illuminate Nichols’s linguistic neighborhood.

At a Glance

Unranked

Current Rank

758

Total births

Since 1914

1987

Peak year

55 births

Compare Nichols with another name

Popularity Over Time

Nichols has 55+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1914.

First appeared: 1914Peak: 1987 (55 births)

Popularity by Decade

Decade-by-decade popularity data for Nichols
Decade	Births	Avg Rank	Trend
2000s	56	#10009	▼
1990s	163	#4304	▼
1980s	322	#1964	▲
1970s	98	#3481	▲
1960s	17	#4239	▼
1950s	27	#3442	▲
1940s	17	#3648	▲
1930s	5	#3826	▼
1920s	26	#4560	—
1910s	27	#4069	—

The Story of Nichols

A Millennial name

Peaking in 1987, Nichols is a Millennial-era classic. Boys named Nichols are most likely born between 1977 and 1997.

How rare is Nichols?

With 758 total births on record, Nichols remains a rare and distinctive pick.

The journey through the decades

First appeared in the records in 1914, gained momentum through the mid-century, peaked in the 1980s with 322 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.

Nichols by the numbers

Would fill 16 school buses
Meeting one Nichols per day would take 2.1 years

Year-by-Year Data

View complete yearly data(55 years, 1914–2009)

Year-by-year popularity data for the name Nichols
Year	Births	Rank	Change
2009	5	#13895	-2 (-28.6%)
2007	7	#10558	+2 (40.0%)
2006	5	#13431	0
2003	5	#12194	-2 (-28.6%)
2002	7	#9109	-8 (-53.3%)
2001	15	#5068	+3 (25.0%)
2000	12	#5811	0
1999	12	#5564	+4 (50.0%)
1998	8	#7336	-5 (-38.5%)
1997	13	#4870	-5 (-27.8%)
1996	18	#3782	-2 (-10.0%)
1995	20	#3402	+2 (11.1%)
1994	18	#3706	+4 (28.6%)
1993	14	#4387	0
1992	14	#4266	-9 (-39.1%)
1991	23	#2887	0
1990	23	#2842	-1 (-4.2%)
1989	24	#2667	-12 (-33.3%)
1988	36	#1873	-19 (-34.5%)
1987	55	#1359	+15 (37.5%)

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Nichols a boy's or girl's name?

Nichols is primarily a boy's name.

When was Nichols most popular?

Nichols reached its peak popularity in 1987 with 55 births that year. It is not currently in the top rankings.

How popular is the name Nichols?

Nichols is not currently in the top rankings but has been given to 758 babies in the U.S. since 1914. Its peak was in 1987.

Explore More

By Length7-letter names By OriginGreek names By EndingNames in -s TrendingRising names RankingsFull rankings

Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1914–2009