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The short answer
Nikolai is a masculine name used in Russian and Bulgarian. Behind the Name describes it this way: "Alternate transcription of Russian/Bulgarian Николай (see Nikolay)." It ranked #605 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, alternate transcription of Russian/Bulgarian Николай (see Nikolay). The entry lists its usage as Russian, Bulgarian.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Nikolai ranked #605 for boys in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #605 | ssa-2025 |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Nikolai mean?
Behind the Name does not give Nikolai a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: alternate transcription of Russian/Bulgarian Николай.
Is Nikolai a popular name?
Nikolai ranked #605 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Nikolai a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Nikolai appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Nikolai — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
