Nicole
The French feminine of Nicholas, from Greek Nikolaos, which joins nike, victory, with laos, people. It was already in use in medieval France.
Nicole in 2025
Nicole was given to 803 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 801st most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 4,129 babies born.
The history of Nicole
Nicole reached its highest point in 1985, when 23,043 babies were given the name, ranking 25th that year. Its best-ever ranking was 23rd, in 1982.
Across the 89 years of records since 1937, 596,465 babies have been named Nicole. Half of them were born before 1986, which places the name's centre of gravity with Millennials.
Nicole by decade
| Decade | Babies named Nicole | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 28 | 4,290 |
| 1940s | 616 | 1,459 |
| 1950s | 1,314 | 1,221 |
| 1960s | 18,643 | 96 |
| 1970s | 145,304 | 26 |
| 1980s | 211,316 | 23 |
| 1990s | 136,383 | 38 |
| 2000s | 54,714 | 76 |
| 2010s | 22,324 | 213 |
| 2020s | 5,823 | 572 |
Where Nicole is heading
Nicole has fallen 62% over the past decade, from 2,116 babies in 2015 to 803 in 2025.
That is less than 5% of its 1985 peak — Nicole is now a rare name in the United States.
Names like Nicole
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Nicole.