Given name & surname
Niko
“of the victorious people”
Niko is a variant of Nicholas. One Greek interpretation is “of the victorious people.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Niko is a variant of Nicholas. One Greek interpretation is “of the victorious people.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Niko is a variant of Nicholas. An origin associated with Nicholas is Dutch.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In German usage, Niko is a diminutive of Nicole. In English usage, Niko is a diminutive of Nikolas.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1962. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Niko is a variant 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
Niko through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 15,135
- 14,629 boys · 506 girls
- Most popular year
- 2022
- 1,212 babies
- 2025
- 1,065
- #325 for boys · #6,269 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +75%
- Rising fast
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 1,046 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 325 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 75.4% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 19 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (185). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 9,382 as a first name in 2020; 312 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Niko’s family of names
In German usage, Niko is a diminutive of Nicole. Niko has a related form in Nicholas. In Finnish usage, Niko has a conventional equivalent in the English form Nicholas.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Niko has relatives in 6 languages.
13 related names in 6 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 8
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 11
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Nikolaiequivalent
- NickEnglish
- Nikosequivalent
- Niiloequivalent
- Nikodemusequivalent
- Nicolausequivalent
- Nicolauequivalent
- ΝικόλαοςGreek
Show 3 moreShow fewer
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Niko
- Niko KovačCroatian footballer and managerborn 1971
- Niko KranjčarCroatian footballerborn 1984
- Niko PirosmaniGeorgian artist (1862-1918)
- Niko SigurCanadian soccer player (born 2003)
- Niko KapanenFinnish ice hockey playerborn 1978
- Niko HämäläinenFinnish association football playerborn 1997
- Niko MikkolaFinnish ice hockey player (born 1996)
- Niko EeckhoutBelgian cyclistborn 1970
- Niko PeleshiAlbanian politicianborn 1970
Characters named Niko: Niko Bellic (dark and gritty protagonist of the 2008 video game Grand Theft Auto IV).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Niko, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Nikkos
“of the victorious people”
>99% boys
Cairo
“from the city in Egypt” · “one who is victorious; from the capital of Egypt”
95% boys · 5% girls
Kylo
Kylo is a masculine given name.
98% boys · 2% girls
Neithan
>99% boys
Kairo
“from the city of Cairo”
97% boys · 3% girls
Kashton
Kashton is a masculine given name.
99% boys · 1% girls
Tadeo
“having heart”
>99% boys
Daxton
“from the French town Dax”
>99% boys