Nicola vs Seth
Nicola and Sethcompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2023, Nicola was ranked #4107 and Seth #229 among boys in England and Wales.
Nicola and Seth over time
Nicola and Seth appear together in 1 published list, across 12 years of shared records. Seth held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Nicola in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Nicola reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Seth in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys12 shared years, 1996–2023
Nicola held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Seth in 12.
Highest recorded here: Nicola #2863 in 1996, Seth #97 in 2013.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Nicola #4107, Seth #229.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Nicola | Seth |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | female | male |
| Meaning | The feminine form of Nicholas, from the Greek elements 'nike' (victory) and 'laos' (people). | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Greek, feminine form | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈnɪk.ə.lə/ | |
| Syllables | 3 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Scotland · Girls #790 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #577 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Nicola has a recorded origin (Greek, feminine form); Seth does not have one recorded yet.
- Nicola has 3 syllables, compared with 1 for Seth.
- A meaning is recorded for Nicola; Seth doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Nicola
Popularity journey
First recorded1957
First recorded at #97 among girls in New Zealand in 1957 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Girls
Highest recorded1957–1996
Highest recorded position: #2 among girls in New Zealand, in 1975 (recorded 1957–1996).
New Zealand · Girls
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2253 among girls in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Girls
Seth
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #441 among boys in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Highest recorded2000–2011
Highest recorded position: #51 among boys in New Zealand, in 2005 (recorded 2000–2011).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #577 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys