Nicholas is a boy's name of English origin. Its meaning is not recorded in the standard references we check — we would rather tell you that plainly than guess. In 2024 it was given to 3,025 boys in the United States.
Nicholas at a glance
Gender
Boy name
Origin
English & American
Meaning
Not recorded in standard references
Pronunciation
/ˈnɪk.ə.ləs/
About the name Nicholas
Nicholas belongs to the English & American tradition. Its roots are documented, even though its precise meaning is not recorded in the standard references — an honest gap we prefer to a confident guess.
In the United States, Nicholas first appears in Social Security records in 1880. It climbed to its best-ever rank of #5 in 1999, and in 2024 3,025 babies received the name — 922,897 in total since 1880. Those are the official counts, not estimates.
The meaning of Nicholas is not recorded in the standard references we check. Rather than repeat an unsourced claim, we leave it open — its English origin is documented, but its exact meaning is not.
Is Nicholas a boy or girl name?
Nicholas is a boy name. In 2024, 3,025 babies received the name in the US.
What origin is the name Nicholas?
Nicholas comes from the English & American tradition.
How popular is the name Nicholas?
Nicholas first appears in US records in 1880. Its best-ever ranking was #5 in 1999, and 3,025 babies were given the name in 2024.
How do you pronounce Nicholas?
Nicholas is pronounced /ˈnɪk.ə.ləs/ (IPA).
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Meaning and origin for this page were checked against this source. US popularity figures are from the Social Security Administration's public baby-names data. If you spot an error, write to [email protected] — accuracy is the whole point of this site, and corrections are made fast.