Given name
Nikhil
“one who is complete”
Nikhil is used as a given name. One Indian interpretation is “one who is complete.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Indian interpretation is “one who is complete.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Indian.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1971. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Nikhil through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 5,404
- 5,404 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2007
- 261 babies
- 2025
- 44
- #2,869 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −34%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 44 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 2,869 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 33.8% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 261 in 2007. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (9). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 8,509 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Nikhil’s family of names
Nikhil has a feminine form in Nikhila. Nikhil has a related form in Nikhel. Nikhil has a related form in Nikhyl.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 7
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Nikhil
- Nikkhil Advanidirectorborn 1971
- Nikhil BanerjeeIndian sitar player (1931–1986)
- Nikhil SiddharthaIndian actorborn 1985
- Nikhil Kanetkarbadminton playerborn 1979
- Nikhil ChopraIndian cricketerborn 1973
- Nikhil DuttaCanadian cricketerborn 1994
- Nikhil KumarIndian politicianborn 1941
- Nikhil UpretiNepalese actor and film directorborn 1980
- Nikhil PatwardhanIndian cricketerborn 1977
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Nikhil, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Nipun
“a clever man”
>99% boys
Sahil
“a great leader”
>99% boys
Nihar
“covered with the morning's dew”
>99% boys
Soumil
“a beloved friend”
>99% boys
Naveen
“a pleasant, lovely woman” · “one who is strong-willed”
89% boys · 11% girls
Sohan
“a handsome man”
>99% boys
Kushal
“a talented man; adroit”
>99% boys
Mihir
“of the sun”
>99% boys