UK name, mostly girls
Nikola
Feminine form of the Greek name Nikolaos meaning "victory of the 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.
Nikola is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Nikola popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2253, with 12 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2010, with 175 births.
This profile covers 1,772 England and Wales registrations across 25 recorded years from 1997 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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 7% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 2,013 living people in the UK are called Nikola. 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
- • Nikola ranked #2253 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 12 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2010, when 175 girls were registered as Nikola.
- • Nikola ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #446 in 2021.
- • About 2,013 living people in the UK are estimated to have Nikola as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 84.9% of Nikola registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2253
2024
Births in 2024
12
Latest year
Peak year
2010
175 births
Estimated living
2,013
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Nikola
In England and Wales birth records, Nikola has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 15.1% of registrations are for boys and 84.9% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Nikola registered for boys
- Ranked #1,758 in 2024
- 14 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 2017 (24 births)
Nikola registered for girls
- Ranked #2,253 in 2024
- 12 girls registered in 2024
- Peak: 2010 (175 births)
Meaning
What does Nikola mean?
The name Nikola has its origins in the Greek language and is derived from the Greek word 'Nikolaos', which means 'victor of the people'. It is a combination of the Greek words 'nikos', meaning 'victory', and 'laos', meaning 'people'. The name has been in use since ancient times and can be traced back to the 3rd century AD.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Nikola can be found in the writings of the early Christian Church. Saint Nicholas of Myra, a 4th-century bishop and patron saint of children, is one of the most well-known historical figures with this name. He was born around 270 AD in Patara, a city in modern-day Turkey, and is renowned for his generosity and kindness.
Another prominent figure in history with the name Nikola was Nikola Tesla, the Serbian-American inventor, and electrical engineer. Born in 1856 in the village of Smiljan, now part of modern-day Croatia, Tesla is best known for his contributions to the design of the modern alternating current (AC) electrical supply system and for his work in the field of electromagnetism.
In the realm of science, Nikola Zherav (1828-1915) was a Bulgarian revolutionary and educator who played a significant role in the national revival movement in Bulgaria during the 19th century. He established the first modern Bulgarian school in Strelcha in 1835 and is celebrated as one of the founders of the modern Bulgarian education system.
The name Nikola also has a strong presence in the world of literature. Nikola Vaptsarov (1909-1942) was a renowned Bulgarian poet and communist revolutionary. His works were highly influential in shaping the literary landscape of Bulgaria and his poems were widely popular during the communist era.
In the field of sports, Nikola Pekovic (born 1986) is a former professional basketball player from Montenegro. He played for the Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA and was known for his physical presence and rebounding abilities on the court.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have borne the name Nikola throughout history. The name has endured across different cultures and time periods, reflecting its rich heritage and enduring popularity.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Nikola over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Nikola in England and Wales, 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 Nikola, the clearest high point is 2010. The latest England and Wales figure is 12 births in 2024, compared with 175 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nikola by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Nikola 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 | #1335 | 143 | 5 |
| 2010s | #424 | 1,206 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1455 | 414 | 8 |
| 1990s | #2972 | 9 | 2 |
Geography
Where Nikola is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Nikola. 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.
Nikola ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #446 in 2021.
Across the UK
Nikola in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#792 in 2021
29 years of NRS records, 181 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#446 in 2021
12 years of NISRA records, 70 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Nikola
-
Nikola Jović
basketball player
Serbian basketball player
2003-
-
Nikola Rachelle
record producer; singer; singer-songwriter
British singer
1983-
-
Nikola Butler
sport cyclist
British cyclist
1981-
-
Nikola Ruškuc
mathematician
Ph.D. University of St. Andrews 1995
1968-
Related
Names similar to Nikola
- Niamh 20,347
- Nicole 19,687
- Natasha 15,578
- Nancy 12,607
- Naomi 12,199
- Natalie 10,885
- Nevaeh 7,869
- Nina 7,285
- Neve 7,180
- Natalia 7,099
- Nadia 6,032
- Nicola 4,927
FAQ
Nikola: questions and answers
How popular is the name Nikola in the UK right now?
In 2024, Nikola was ranked #2253 for girls in England and Wales, with 12 births registered.
When was Nikola most popular?
The peak year on record was 2010, with 175 babies registered as Nikola in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Nikola?
Feminine form of the Greek name Nikolaos meaning "victory of the people".
How many people are called Nikola in the UK?
A total of 1,772 babies have been registered as Nikola across the 25 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 181 more in Scotland and 70 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Nikola most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Nikola ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #446 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.