Nicole
Say it: nih-KOLE/nɪˈkəʊl/
GirlMeans victory of the people6 letters2 syllables
#381
in Ireland (2025)
#379 with spellings combined
10
babies in 2025
#15
best rank (1996)
6,372
babies since 1964
Down 303
10-year rank change
Nicole through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10 | #379 |
| 2024 | 23 | #193 |
| 2023 | 33 | #145 |
| 2022 | 25 | #187 |
| 2021 | 31 | #157 |
| 2020 | 36 | #138 |
| 2019 | 38 | #143 |
| 2018 | 56 | #109 |
| 2017 | 60 | #103 |
| 2016 | 57 | #101 |
| 2015 | 86 | #76 |
| 2014 | 104 | #67 |
| 2013 | 109 | #66 |
| 2012 | 116 | #58 |
| 2011 | 176 | #42 |
| 2010 | 192 | #40 |
| 2009 | 194 | #41 |
| 2008 | 198 | #37 |
| 2007 | 200 | #38 |
| 2006 | 191 | #36 |
| 2005 | 172 | #37 |
| 2004 | 161 | #40 |
| 2003 | 179 | #34 |
| 2002 | 228 | #24 |
| 2001 | 259 | #21 |
| 2000 | 261 | #20 |
| 1999 | 266 | #16 |
| 1998 | 245 | #16 |
| 1997 | 322 | #17 |
| 1996 | 358 | #15 |
| 1995 | 340 | #16 |
| 1994 | 276 | #18 |
| 1993 | 274 | #20 |
| 1992 | 211 | #24 |
| 1991 | 158 | #38 |
| 1990 | 116 | #53 |
| 1989 | 86 | #77 |
| 1988 | 83 | #84 |
| 1987 | 62 | #107 |
| 1986 | 62 | #105 |
| 1985 | 67 | #106 |
| 1984 | 29 | #191 |
| 1983 | 15 | #260 |
| 1982 | 27 | #201 |
| 1981 | 6 | #386 |
| 1980 | 5 | #432 |
| 1979 | 7 | #363 |
| 1978 | 17 | #244 |
| 1977 | 12 | #283 |
| 1976 | 15 | #252 |
| 1975 | 15 | #243 |
| 1974 | 12 | #277 |
| 1973 | 20 | #225 |
| 1972 | 8 | #312 |
| 1971 | 19 | #220 |
| 1970 | 9 | #282 |
| 1969 | 8 | #288 |
| 1968 | 6 | #307 |
| 1967 | 5 | #315 |
| 1966 | 8 | #256 |
| 1965 | 5 | #297 |
| 1964 | 3 | #372 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Nicole mean?
Victory of the people
French, the feminine of Nicolas (Nicholas), from Greek nike (victory) and laos (people).
Say it right
nihKOLE
The story of Nicole
Nicole is the French feminine form of Nicolas, the name English speakers write as Nicholas. Nicholas comes from the Greek Nikolaos, made from nike, “victory”, and laos, “people”. Nicola is a close relative, used for girls in Ireland and Britain.
Nicole was popular across the English-speaking world at the end of the twentieth century, and Ireland was no exception. It has been given here throughout the CSO records, but it took off in the 1980s. Its best year was 1996, when 358 girls were named Nicole and it reached number 15.
It stayed in the top 100 until the mid 2010s, then fell back quickly, with 10 girls in 2025. In Northern Ireland it reached number 14 in 1998.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Nicole (English proper noun)
- Wiktionary: Nicholas (English proper noun)
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, Baby Names in Northern Ireland, full name list 1997-2025
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Nicknames
NickiNikki
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Nicole | 10 | 6,372 |
In Northern Ireland
Not in the 2025 list. Best rank #14 (1998); 1,432 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.