UK boy's name
Nick
A masculine name with origins in Greek meaning "victorious people".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Nick is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Nick popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1758, with 14 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2009, with 20 births.
This profile covers 428 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 70% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 441 living people in the UK are called Nick. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Nick ranked #1758 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 14 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2009, when 20 boys were registered as Nick.
- • Nick ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #720 in 2021.
- • About 441 living people in the UK are estimated to have Nick as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1758
2024
Births in 2024
14
Latest year
Peak year
2009
20 births
Estimated living
441
2026
Meaning
What does Nick mean?
The given name Nick is a diminutive form of the name Nicholas, which is derived from the Greek name Nikolaos. Nikolaos is a combination of the words "niko" meaning "victory" and "laos" meaning "people". The name can be interpreted as "victor of the people" or "people's champion".
The earliest known use of the name Nicholas dates back to the 3rd century AD. One of the most famous historical figures with this name is Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century Christian saint and Greek bishop of Myra in modern-day Turkey. He is the primary inspiration for the legendary character of Santa Claus, known for his generosity and gift-giving.
In the Middle Ages, the name Nicholas was widely popular across Europe, particularly in regions influenced by the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches. It was often associated with piety, kindness, and charity, reflecting the virtues of Saint Nicholas.
One notable figure from this period was Nicholas of Cusa, a German philosopher, theologian, and mathematician born in 1401. He made significant contributions to the fields of science and philosophy during the Renaissance.
During the Renaissance and Reformation periods, the name Nicholas remained popular among various European cultures. One prominent figure was Nicholas Copernicus, the Polish astronomer born in 1473, who revolutionized our understanding of the solar system with his heliocentric theory.
In the 19th century, the name Nicholas gained further popularity in various cultures. One famous bearer of the name was Nicholas I, who reigned as the Emperor of Russia from 1825 to 1855. Another notable figure was Nicholas II, the last Emperor of Russia, who ruled from 1894 until his abdication in 1917.
The diminutive form "Nick" emerged as a common shortened version of Nicholas, particularly in English-speaking countries. Some famous individuals known by the name Nick include Nick Drake, an English singer-songwriter born in 1948, and Nick Lowe, an English singer-songwriter and producer born in 1949.
Overall, the name Nick, derived from Nicholas, has a rich history spanning centuries and cultures. It has been associated with various historical figures, saints, and notable individuals, reflecting its enduring popularity and diverse cultural influences.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Nick over time
The chart below shows babies named Nick registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Nick, the clearest high point is 2009. The latest England and Wales figure is 14 births in 2024, compared with 20 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nick by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Nick was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #1815 | 72 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1494 | 162 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1355 | 140 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1049 | 54 | 4 |
Geography
Where Nick is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Nick. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Nick ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #720 in 2021.
Across the UK
Nick in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#720 in 2021
5 years of NRS records, 16 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Nick
-
Nick Wilding
art historian
British art historian
2000-
-
Nick Wood
association football player
English footballer (born 1990)
1990-
-
Nick Yelloly
racing driver; racing automobile driver
British racing driver
1990-
-
Nick Wright
association football player
footballer born 1987
1987-
-
Nick Whyatt
ice hockey player
English ice hockey player
1984-
-
Nick Wood
rugby union player
English rugby union footballer
1983-
-
Nick Warren
cricketer
English cricketer (born 1982)
1982-
-
Nick Weekes
cricketer
English cricketer (born 1981)
1981-
Related
Names similar to Nick
- Noah 72,596
- Nathan 46,860
- Nicholas 15,983
- Nathaniel 12,151
- Niall 5,746
- Nicolas 3,825
- Nico 3,532
- Nate 2,029
- Nikodem 1,872
- Noel 1,865
- Ned 1,614
- Neo 1,563
FAQ
Nick: questions and answers
How popular is the name Nick in the UK right now?
In 2024, Nick was ranked #1758 for boys in England and Wales, with 14 births registered.
When was Nick most popular?
The peak year on record was 2009, with 20 babies registered as Nick in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Nick?
A masculine name with origins in Greek meaning "victorious people".
How many people are called Nick in the UK?
A total of 428 babies have been registered as Nick across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 16 more in Scotland.
Where is Nick most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Nick ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #720 in 2021. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.