What does Nicola mean?
Nicola is the Italian form of Nicholas — a boys’ name in Italy, “victory of the people.”
What does Filippo mean?
Filippo is the Italian form of Philip, “lover of horses.”
Nicola vs Filippo
Which is more popular?
Nicola is more popular than Filippo today: about 28 US babies were given the name Nicola in 2025, compared with 12 named Filippo.
| Nicola | Filippo | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Victory of the people | Lover of horses |
| Origin | Italian | Italian |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | nee-KOH-lah | fee-LEEP-poh |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1908 | 1915 |
| Peak year | 1972 (53) | 2024 (22) |
| In 2025 | 28 | 12 |
| Trend | Steady | Rising |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Nicola
Filippo
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Nicola | Filippo |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 190 | 90 |
| 2010s | 245 | 118 |
| 2000s | 349 | 128 |
| 1990s | 413 | 93 |
| 1980s | 320 | 92 |
| 1970s | 441 | 132 |
| 1960s | 335 | 40 |
| 1950s | 159 | 5 |
| 1940s | 84 | 0 |
| 1930s | 85 | 0 |
| 1920s | 188 | 0 |
| 1910s | 197 | 11 |
| 1900s | 6 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Nicola or Filippo more popular?
Nicola is more popular than Filippo today: about 28 US babies were given the name Nicola in 2025, compared with 12 named Filippo.
What is the difference between Nicola and Filippo?
Nicola means Victory of the people (Italian origin), while Filippo means Lover of horses (Italian origin).
Which name is older, Nicola or Filippo?
In US records, Nicola first appears in 1908 and Filippo in 1915, so Nicola has the longer recorded history.