Given name & surname
Niki
“of the victorious people”
Niki is a variant of Nick. In English use, Nick carries the interpretation “of the victorious people.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Niki is a variant of Nick. In English use, Nick carries the interpretation “of the victorious people.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In English use, Niki is a diminutive of Nicholas. An origin associated with Nicholas is Dutch.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English usage, Niki is a diminutive of Nicholas. In English usage, Niki is a diminutive of Nicole.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1932. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In English use, Niki is a diminutive of Nicholas. The history of Nicholas gives this family its wider story. Nicholas’s Christian associations include Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century bishop of Myra in Lycia, about whom virtually nothing factual is known.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Niki through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 7,277
- 229 boys · 7,048 girls
- Most popular year
- 1972
- 261 babies
- 2025
- 13
- #8,214 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −27%
- Easing
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 13 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 8,214 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 26.7% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 248 in 1972. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 8,235 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.
Niki’s family of names
In English usage, Niki is a diminutive of Nicholas. In Czech usage, Niki has a conventional equivalent in the French form Nicole. In English usage, Niki is a diminutive of Nicole.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Niki has relatives in 4 languages.
9 related names in 4 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 10
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Nicholasfull form · English
- Nikofull form · Finnish
- Nicolefull form · English, French
- Nickvariant
- Nicholefull form · English
- Nicolafull form · English
- Nikolausfull form · Finnish
- Nikolettafull form · Hungarian
Show 2 moreShow fewer
Spellings & scripts 6
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 14
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 2
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Niki
- Niki LaudaAustrian former Formula 1 driver (1949–2019)
- Niki ZimlingDanish footballerborn 1985
- Niki TerpstraDutch cyclistborn 1984
- Niki KarimiIranian film director and actressborn 1971
- Niki CaroNew Zealand film director, film producer and screenwriterborn 1967
- Niki BakoyianniGreek high jumperborn 1968
- Niki ChowHong Kong actressborn 1979
- NikiIndonesian singer-songwriter based in the United Statesborn 1999
- Niki MäenpääFinnish association football playerborn 1985
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Niki, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Nicki
“of the victorious people”
>99% girls
Nicoll
“of the victorious people”
>99% girls
Nicholl
“of the victorious people”
>99% girls
Nina
“a little girl” · “a fiery woman”
>99% girls
Rockie
“one who is calm; restful”
16% boys · 84% girls
Tierny
“lord of the manor” · “one who is regal; lordly”
>99% girls
Bridget
Bridget is a feminine given name from Irish.
>99% girls
Jennifer
“one who is fair; a beautiful girl”
>99% girls