← All names

Nicol

Boy / Girl name · 157 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Nicol: 157 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to both boys and girls, peaking at 11 births in 1977.

From the Greek Nikolaos, meaning "victory of the people," Nicol is the Scottish short form of Nicholas that has stood independently for centuries. While often associated with Nicolaus Copernicus, the astronomer who revolutionised our understanding of the solar system, a more immediate Scottish connection is the poet Robert Burns's younger brother Nicol Burns. The element -colas appears in several place names across the classical world, from the ancient city of Nicopolis to the modern Greek resort of Nikiti. In Scotland, the name found particular favour in the Borders and Lothians, and its modern revival may owe something to the popularity of the feminine nickname forms Nicola and Nicole, which share the same root meaning of "victory of the people."