Nicola
5 countriesPopularity across 5 countries
Each line is scaled to its own peak, so you can compare when Nicola was in fashion in each country, whatever the population size.
Country by country
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
21,110 births recorded 1974–2024 · peaked in 1974 with 935 births (England & Wales + Scotland + Northern Ireland combined)
Source: ONS, National Records of Scotland & NISRA (combined), official birth-registration data
🏴 Scotland
15,963 births recorded 1974–2024 · peaked in 1974 with 935 births
Source: National Records of Scotland, official birth-registration data
🇺🇸 United States
8,090 births recorded 1908–2025 · currently #8362 · peaked in 1972 with 236 births
Most common in: New York, California, New Jersey, Illinois, Pennsylvania
Source: Social Security Administration, official birth-registration data
🏴🏴 England & Wales
4,924 births recorded 1996–2021 · currently #1259 · peaked in 1996 with 632 births
Source: Office for National Statistics, official birth-registration data
🇫🇷 France
1,131 births recorded 1956–2022 · currently #3308 · peaked in 2004 with 38 births
Most common in: Nord, Paris, Seine-Saint-Denis, Rhône, Moselle
Source: INSEE, official birth-registration data
Northern Ireland
223 births recorded 1997–2020 · peaked in 1997 with 36 births
Source: NISRA, official birth-registration data
Scotland rank history
Nicola’s rank among girls’ names, most recent 20 years on record.
| Year | Rank | vs. prior yr |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | #114 | — |
| 2004 | #122 | ↓8 |
| 2005 | #193 | ↓71 |
| 2006 | #158 | ↑35 |
| 2007 | #187 | ↓29 |
| 2008 | #158 | ↑29 |
| 2009 | #154 | ↑4 |
| 2010 | #219 | ↓65 |
| 2011 | #213 | ↑6 |
| 2012 | #203 | ↑10 |
| 2013 | #194 | ↑9 |
| 2014 | #222 | ↓28 |
| 2015 | #379 | ↓157 |
| 2016 | #356 | ↑23 |
| 2017 | #666 | ↓310 |
| 2018 | #680 | ↓14 |
| 2019 | #765 | ↓85 |
| 2020 | #636 | ↑129 |
| 2023 | #749 | ↓113 |
| 2024 | #790 | ↓41 |
Frequently asked questions about Nicola
Is Nicola a popular name?
Nicola has 15,963 recorded births in Scotland between 1974 and 2024, but doesn’t currently rank in the yearly top list.
Is Nicola more common for boys or girls?
Nicola is recorded predominantly as a girls’ name in official Scotland birth data.
When was Nicola most popular?
Nicola peaked in 1974 in Scotland, with 935 recorded births that year.
Is Nicola rising or falling in popularity?
In Scotland, Nicola’s popularity is falling — its rank has slipped from #1 in 1974 to #790 in 2024.
How many babies have been named Nicola?
At least 30,331 babies have been recorded with the name Nicola across official birth statistics in 5 countries.
Is Nicola popular in more than one country?
Yes — Nicola appears in official birth records in 5 countries: Scotland, United States, England & Wales, France, Northern Ireland.
What names are similar in popularity to Nicola?
Based on real 2025 ranking data in Scotland, names ranked closest to Nicola include Nela, Nereyda, Nihal, Nikolina.
Similar names right now
Ranked directly next to Nicola in Scotland, 2025 — a real popularity match, not a subjective list.