How popular is the baby name Nikol in the United States right now? How popular was it historically? Use the popularity graph and data table below to find out! Plus, see all the blog posts that mention the name Nikol.

The graph will take a few moments to load. (Don't worry, it shouldn't take 9 months!) If it's taking too long, try reloading the page.


Popularity of the baby name Nikol


Posts that mention the name Nikol

Popular baby names in Bulgaria, 2017

Flag of Bulgaria
Flag of Bulgaria

According to Bulgaria’s National Statistical Institute, the most popular baby names in the country in 2017 were Viktoria and Aleksandar.

Here are Bulgaria’s top 10 girl names and top 10 boy names of 2017:

Girl Names

  1. Viktoria, 741 baby girls
  2. Maria, 718
  3. Nikol, 682
  4. Raia, 508
  5. Aleksandra, 483
  6. Sofia, 463
  7. Daria, 447
  8. Simona, 391
  9. Gabriela, 380
  10. Yoana, 378

Boy Names

  1. Aleksandar, 1,116 baby boys
  2. Georgi, 1,009
  3. Martin, 804
  4. Dimitar, 687
  5. Ivan, 668
  6. Nikola, 640
  7. Daniel, 623
  8. Boris, 615
  9. Kaloyan, 599
  10. Viktor, 562

The girls’ top 10 includes the same 10 names as the year before, but in a different order.

In the boys’ top 10, Boris replaced Nikolay.

The top two names were the same in 2016.

Source: Names in Bulgaria in 2017 (preliminary data) – NSI (PDF)

Image: Adapted from Flag of Bulgaria (public domain)

Popular baby names in Bulgaria, 2016

Flag of Bulgaria
Flag of Bulgaria

According to preliminary data released yesterday by Bulgaria’s National Statistical Institute, the most popular baby names in the country in 2016 were Viktoria and Aleksandar.

Here are Bulgaria’s projected top 10 girl names and top 10 boy names of 2016:

Girl names

  1. Viktoria
  2. Maria
  3. Nikol
  4. Raya
  5. Sofia
  6. Aleksandra
  7. Gabriela
  8. Daria
  9. Yoana
  10. Simona

Boy names

  1. Aleksandar
  2. Georgi
  3. Martin
  4. Dimitar
  5. Ivan
  6. Nikola
  7. Viktor
  8. Daniel
  9. Kaloyan
  10. Nikolay

On the boys’ list, Aleksandar replaced Georgi as the #1 name.

The name Kaloyan can be traced back to Tsar Ivan II, who ruled Bulgaria from 1197 to 1207. His nickname, “Kaloyan,” was based on the Greek phrase kalos Ioannes, meaning “handsome John.” In fact, an increasing number of baby boys are being named after the “khans and the kings of the First and Second Bulgarian Kingdom, for example Asparuh, Tervel, Simeon, Samuil, Kaloyan.”

Trendy girl name Krisia isn’t in the top 10, but it was given to 169 baby girls in 2016 (and 222 in 2015) thanks to the influence of Bulgarian child singer Krisia Todorova.

And what are the most common first names in Bulgaria overall?

Female names overall

  1. Maria
  2. Ivanka
  3. Elena
  4. Yordanka
  5. Penka
  6. Daniela
  7. Rositsa
  8. Desislava
  9. Petya
  10. Gergana

Male names overall

  1. Georgi
  2. Ivan
  3. Dimitar
  4. Nikolay
  5. Petar
  6. Hristo
  7. Aleksandar
  8. Stefan
  9. Yordan
  10. Vasil

Interesting entries in the overall top 20 include the female name Rumyana and the male names Stoyan, Atanas (from Athanasius), and Plamen.

Sources: Names in Bulgaria in 2016 (preliminary data) – NSI (PDF), Kaloyan – Behind the Name

Image: Adapted from Flag of Bulgaria (public domain)

Popular baby names in Bulgaria, 2013

Flag of Bulgaria
Flag of Bulgaria

Bulgaria’s top baby names of 2013 were released last month.

According to preliminary data from the National Statistical Institute (NSI), the most popular baby names last year were Viktoria and Georgi.

Here are Bulgaria’s top 19 girl names and top 19 boy names of 2013:

Girl Names

  1. Viktoria (2.9% of baby girls)
  2. Nikol (2.7%)
  3. Maria (2.4%)
  4. Alexandra (1.7%)
  5. Gabriela (1.5%)
  6. Raya (1.2%)
  7. Yoana (1.2%)
  8. Simona
  9. Elena
  10. Dariya
  11. Teodora
  12. Siyana
  13. Mihaela
  14. Gergana
  15. Magdalena
  16. Bozhidara
  17. Monika
  18. Ivayla
  19. Karina

Boy Names

  1. Georgi (3.55% of baby boys)
  2. Alexandar (3.1%)
  3. Martin (2.9%)
  4. Ivan (2.4%)
  5. Dimitar (2.1%)
  6. Nikola (2.1%)
  7. Nikolay (2.0%)
  8. Viktor
  9. Kristiyan
  10. Kaloyan
  11. Boris
  12. Teordor
  13. Bozhidar
  14. Petar
  15. Stefan
  16. Alex
  17. Ivaylo
  18. Mihail
  19. Angel

Source: Most popular baby names in Bulgaria – Georgi, Viktoria

Image: Adapted from Flag of Bulgaria (public domain)

Baby names typed by the right hand: Better?

computer keyboard

Years ago, I came up with a list of one-handed baby names — that is, names that are typed with either the left hand or the right hand on a QWERTY keyboard.

Turns out there may be a slight advantage to right-hand names.

According to a study published recently in Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, “the QWERTY keyboard may gradually attach more positive meanings to words with more letters located on the right side of the layout (everything to the right of T, G and B).”

Why?

It has to do with fluency.

We tend to like simplicity over complexity, and the harder-to-type letter pairs are on a QWERTY keyboard’s left side — these two facts together may lead people to prefer words (and names) that are typed on the right.

Which names are typed by the right hand only? My original list:

  • Holly
  • Io
  • Jill, Jim, Jimi, Jimmy, Jin, Jo, John, Johnny, Jon, Joni, Joy, Juho, Juli, Julio, Jun, Juno
  • Kiki, Kim, Kimi, Kimiko, Kimmy, Kimo, Kip, Kiyoko, Kojo, Kollin, Kumiko, Kyou
  • Lili, Lilly, Lilou, Lily, Lin, Lino, Loni, Lonny, Lou, Lulu, Lyn, Lynn
  • Miki, Mikki, Mikko, Milly, Milo, Mimi, Min, Minh, Miyu, Molly, Momoko
  • Nik, Nikhil, Niki, Nikki, Niko, Nikol, Nikon, Nuno
  • Olli, Olujimi, Om
  • Phil, Philip, Phillip, Pio, Polly, Poppy
  • Yoko, Yuko, Yumi, Yumiko

Can you think of any others?

Source: Mosher, Dave. “The QWERTY Effect: How Typing May Shape the Meaning of Words.” Wired 7 Mar. 2012. (h/t Anthony Mitchell, @aem76us)

Image: Adapted from Apple Macintosh Plus Extended Keyboard by MagicTom13 under CC BY-SA 3.0.