boy's name
Nico
NEE-koh
- Origin Greek
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 4
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 29,836
the United States
#174
2025 births
Nico is a name of Greek origin meaning "victory of the people." It shortens Nicholas, from nike, victory, and laos, people — and Saint Nicholas is the origin of Father Christmas.
- Nico is a name of Greek origin.
- Peaked in 2025, when 2,096 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 1,582 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1960.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Nico over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1960s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 84 |
| 1970s | 246 |
| 1980s | 545 |
| 1990s | 2,187 |
| 2000s | 3,147 |
| 2010s | 6,813 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 9,300 |
What Nico means
Nico means people's victory, inherited from Nicholas. The elements are nike, victory, and laos, the people — so the name describes a triumph belonging to everyone rather than to one person.
Where Nico comes from
Nico shortens Nicholas, from the Greek Nikolaos — nike, victory, and laos, people. Saint Nicholas of Myra, a fourth-century bishop known for secret gift-giving, became Sinterklaas in Dutch and then Santa Claus in American English, so Father Christmas is a worn-down form of this name. Nike, the goddess of victory, gives the sportswear brand its name from the same word. Nico is used for both sexes: the German singer Nico, born Christa Päffgen, is its best-known female bearer.
Nico in use
Our data shows Nico peaking in 2025 and still rising, at 165 in England and Wales. It first appears in our records in 1960. It belongs to the current wave of short European forms rising in Britain alongside Matteo, Luca, Otto and Leo.
How popular is Nico?
In 2025, Nico was given to 2,096 babies in the United States, ranking #174 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Nico is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Nico
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Nico also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Nico over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
1 nickname for Nico
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Nico in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Nico
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Nico — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Nico
What does the name Nico mean?
Nico means "victory of the people," from the Greek nike, victory, and laos, people.
Is Nico short for Nicholas?
Traditionally yes, though it is now widely registered as a name in its own right.
Is Santa Claus named after Nicholas?
Directly. Saint Nicholas became Sinterklaas in Dutch and then Santa Claus in American English.
How popular is the name Nico?
In 2025, Nico was given to 2,096 babies in the United States, ranking #174 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Nico a girl's or a boy's name?
Nico is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Nico?
Nico has 2 syllables.
When was Nico most popular?
Nico peaked in 2025, when 2,096 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Nico?
Nico is usually shortened to Nick.
Is Nico a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Nico currently ranks #105 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.