Nicolai
How to say it: NIK-oh-ly · /ˈnɪkoʊlaɪ/
Scandinavian and German form of Nicholas (Greek 'victory of the people') - variant of Nikolai.
Nicolai was the 550th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 51 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 2010s, its births are down about 26% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #601 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #550 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 51 |
| Share of births | 1 in 6,375 |
| Peak decade | 2010s |
| Change over 10 years | −26% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #601 |
| In France, 2025 | #1,664 among boys’ names, 0 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Nicolai is a newcomer: almost all of its history is from the last forty years.
What goes with it
Parents who love Nicolai also love
Nicknames
- Nico
- Nic
Honouring a Nicolai in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Nicolai is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Norwegian, Swedish.
In France: #1,664 for boys in 2025.
Famous people named Nicolai
- Nicolai Jørgensen (born 1991)Danish association football player
- Nicolai Boilesen (born 1992)Danish footballer
- Nicolai Hartmann (1882–1950)German philosopher
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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