The first name Nikolaj
A boy’s name.
3 syllables Male
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 3 boys were named Nikolaj, making it the 5,137th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2020, with 7 births (#2,682).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Nikolaj with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Nikolaj at birth, 1880–2025
In 2024, 8 boys born in the United States were named Nikolaj, the 9,613th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2019, when 19 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Famous people named Nikolaj
14 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Nikolaj Coster-WaldauDanish actor (born 1970)
- Nikolaj Frederik Severin GrundtvigDanish Lutheran pastor, theologian, hymn-writer and educator (1783-1872)
- Nikolaj EhlersDanish ice hockey player, born 1996
- Nikolaj PešalovBulgarian weightlifter, born 1970
- Nikolaj ArcelDanish film director and screenwriter, born 1972
- Nikolaj KoppelDanish musician and host, born 1969
- Nikolaj JacobsenDanish handball player, born 1971
- Nikolaj MarkussenDanish handball player, born 1988
- Nikolaj SørensenDanish-Canadian ice dancer, born 1989
- Nikolaj ØrisDanish handball player, born 1986
- Nikolaj VillumsenDanish politician, born 1983
- Nikolaj Szeps-ZnaiderDanish violinist and conductor, born 1975
Questions
- How popular is the name Nikolaj?
- In 2025, 3 boys born in England and Wales were named Nikolaj, ranking 5,137th. Its peak was 2020, with 7 births.
- Is Nikolaj a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 154 US babies named Nikolaj since 1880 were boys.
- When was Nikolaj most popular?
- 2019 in the United States, when 19 babies were named Nikolaj, its highest rank at 5,101st.