UK boy's name
Nikil
A masculine Hindu name of Sanskrit origin meaning "incomparable" or "unparalleled".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2013. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Nikil is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Nikil popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2013 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3822, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2013, with 4 births.
This profile covers 10 England and Wales registrations across 3 recorded years from 2003 to 2013. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, 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.
Nikil is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 10 living people in the UK are called Nikil. 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 2014 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Nikil ranked #3822 for boys in England and Wales in 2013, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2013, when 4 boys were registered as Nikil.
- • About 10 living people in the UK are estimated to have Nikil as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3822
2013
Births in 2013
4
Latest year
Peak year
2013
4 births
Estimated living
10
2026
Meaning
What does Nikil mean?
The name Nikil has its origins in Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-Aryan language that has been used in various parts of the Indian subcontinent for over three millennia. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "nilah," which means "blue" or "dark-colored." The name is closely associated with Hindu culture and is believed to have been in use since ancient times.
In Hindu mythology, Nikil is also the name of a minor deity associated with the planet Mars. This celestial connection may have contributed to the name's enduring popularity over the centuries. The earliest recorded instances of the name Nikil can be found in ancient Hindu scriptures and historical texts from the region.
One of the earliest known individuals to bear the name Nikil was an Indian philosopher and scholar who lived in the 6th century CE. Known as Nikil Brahmin, he was renowned for his contributions to the field of logic and epistemology. His works, such as the "Nikil Shastra," remain influential in the study of Indian philosophy to this day.
Another notable figure with the name Nikil was Nikil Chandra Bhattacharya (1894-1978), a Bengali writer and educator who played a significant role in the Indian independence movement. He was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi and actively participated in the non-violent resistance against British rule.
In the realm of sports, Nikil Pal (born 1966) is a former Indian cricketer who played as a right-arm off-break bowler for the national team in the 1990s. He was part of the Indian squad that won the 1993 SAARC Quadrangular tournament in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Nikil Mukerji (1914-1988) was an Indian film director and screenwriter who is credited with introducing new techniques and styles to Indian cinema. His most notable works include the critically acclaimed films "Anuradha" (1960) and "Shilpi" (1956), which explored themes of social realism.
Nikil Saval (born 1984) is a contemporary Indian-American writer and editor known for his works exploring issues of labor, inequality, and the changing nature of work in the modern economy. His book "Cubed: A Secret History of the Workplace" received widespread critical acclaim.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Nikil over time
The chart below shows babies named Nikil registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2003 to 2013. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Nikil, the clearest high point is 2013. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2013, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nikil by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Nikil 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #3822 | 4 | 1 |
| 2000s | #3900 | 6 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Nikil
- 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
Nikil: questions and answers
How popular is the name Nikil in the UK right now?
In 2013, Nikil was ranked #3822 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Nikil most popular?
The peak year on record was 2013, with 4 babies registered as Nikil in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Nikil?
A masculine Hindu name of Sanskrit origin meaning "incomparable" or "unparalleled".
How many people are called Nikil in the UK?
A total of 10 babies have been registered as Nikil across the 3 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
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.