girl's name · in the US
Nikki
NIK-ee (English)
- Origin English
- Gender Girl (US)
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 44,732
Nikki means victory of the people, and both halves of the Greek are collective — nike is the victory and laos is the citizen body, so it describes a public triumph rather than a personal one.
- Nikki is a name of English origin.
- Peaked in 1972, when 1,736 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 75,352 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1925.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Nikki Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1920s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1920s | 35 |
| 1930s | 90 |
| 1940s | 1,634 |
| 1950s | 2,206 |
| 1960s | 3,194 |
| 1970s | 11,095 |
| 1980s | 10,643 |
| 1990s | 7,663 |
| 2000s | 2,880 |
| 2010s | 1,225 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 340 |
What Nikki Means
Nikki means victory of the people, carried from Nicole or Nicholas. Neither half of the Greek compound refers to an individual, which is unusual for a personal name.
Where Nikki Comes From
Nikki shortens Nicole or Nicola, from the Greek Nikolaos — nike, victory, joined to laos, the people as distinct from their rulers. Nike was a goddess before she was an abstraction, and the sportswear company is named for her. Saint Nicholas of Myra became Sinterklaas and then Santa Claus, so the name reaches modern life twice. A separate Japanese Nikki, meaning a diary, is unrelated.
Nikki in Use
Nikki peaked in the United States in 1972, when 1,736 babies were registered, and is falling. It now ranks 3,510th in the United States on 44 births, 7,304th in France on 5 and 7,525th in England and Wales on 3, across 44,732 lifetime births in four markets. England and Wales and Scotland both ran peaks of 105 births, in 1996 and 1987.
How Popular Is Nikki?
In 2025, Nikki was given to 44 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Nikki 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 Nikki
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Nikki Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Nikki over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Boys' or Girls' Name?
Nikki is used differently depending on where you are. Each figure is the share of babies given the name who were girls, over the last ten years of that country's records.
- United States Girls' 99% girls · 693 babies
- Canada Girls' 95% girls · 205 babies
- England & Wales Girls' 100% girls · 62 babies
- France Both 82% girls · 55 babies
How to Say Nikki
- English NIK-ee /ˈnɪk.i/
Nikki 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 Nikki
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Nikki — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Nikki
What does the name Nikki mean?
Victory of the people — the Greek nike joined to laos.
Is the sportswear brand related?
Yes, named for the goddess Nike.
Is there a Japanese Nikki?
Yes, meaning a diary. It is unrelated.
How popular is Nikki?
3,510th in the United States, down from a 1972 peak of 1,736 births.
Is Nikki a girl's or a boy's name?
Nikki is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Nikki?
Nikki has 2 syllables.
Is Nikki a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Nikki currently ranks #1,700 in the United States. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.