Nicola is a distinctive choice, ranked #2254 in 2024. Your child is likely to be the only Nicola in their class.
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UK Rank 2024
#2254
About the Name Nicola
Nicola has seen a notable decline in recent years, dropping 1090 places in five years. It was most popular in 1996 at #87 — parents choosing it today are making a deliberately counter-trend decision. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996. It briefly reached the UK top 100, though it typically sits a little further down the charts.
Nicola is distinctive enough that your child will likely be the only one in both their class and their school — standing out on every register.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Nicola
Unlikely. With around 12 UK babies named Nicola per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Nicola in his class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Nicola has been declining in UK popularity, dropping 1090 places in the last five years. Its peak was #87 in 1996. Choosing it now means he is likely to be among the last of his generation with this name.
Nicola is a distinctive choice sitting outside the mainstream UK top names. Parents choosing less common names often find their children appreciate the individuality as they grow up, rarely needing to add an initial to distinguish themselves.
Notable people named Nicola include: Nicola Benedetti — Nicola Joy Nadia Benedetti is a Scottish classical violinist and festival director.; Nicola Formby — Nicola Elizabeth Formby is a South African journalist, company director and food consultant, and a former model and actress.; Nicola Sturgeon — Nicola Ferguson Sturgeon is a Scottish politician who served as First Minister of Scotland and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) from 2014 to 2023..
Nicola does not appear in the US top 1,000 baby names, making it a distinctively British choice — your child is unlikely to encounter American Nicolas in the wild.
12
UK babies named Nicola (2024)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.0
In a school of 600
↓ 1090 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Nicola
Likely around 1 other Nicola in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2024)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
No US data available for this name
✨ Similar names to Nicola
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Nicola Joy Nadia Benedetti is a Scottish classical violinist and festival director. Her ability was recognised when she was a child, including the award of BBC Young Musician of the Year when she was 16.
Nicola Ferguson Sturgeon is a Scottish politician who served as First Minister of Scotland and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) from 2014 to 2023. She served as a member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) from 1999 to 2026, firstly as an additional member for the Glasgow electoral region, and then as the member for Glasgow Southside (formerly Glasgow Govan) from 2007 to 2026.
Nicola Sian Thorp is an English broadcaster, columnist, activist, and former actress. She is known for her role as Nicola Rubinstein in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street, as well as her contributions to the newspaper Metro and the programmes This Morning, and Talk Today.
Nicola Bombacci was an Italian Marxist revolutionary and later a fascist politician. He began in the Italian Socialist Party as an opponent of the reformist wing and became a founding member of the Communist Party of Italy in 1921, sitting on the fifteen-man Central Committee.
Enrico De Nicola was an Italian jurist, journalist, politician, statesman, who served as the first president of Italy in 1948 and provisional head of state of republican Italy from 1946 to 1948.
Nicola Zalewski is a professional footballer who plays as a wing-back or attacking midfielder for Serie A club Atalanta. Born in Italy, he plays for the Poland national team.