What does Nicola mean?
Nicola is the Italian form of Nicholas — a boys’ name in Italy, “victory of the people.”
What does Gabriele mean?
Gabriele is the Italian form of Gabriel, “God is my strength.”
Nicola vs Gabriele
Which is more popular?
Nicola is more popular than Gabriele today: about 28 US babies were given the name Nicola in 2025, compared with 22 named Gabriele.
| Nicola | Gabriele | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Victory of the people | God is my strength |
| Origin | Italian | Italian |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | nee-KOH-lah | gah-bree-EH-leh |
| Syllables | 3 | 4 |
| First appeared | 1908 | 1961 |
| Peak year | 1972 (53) | 2007 (39) |
| In 2025 | 28 | 22 |
| Trend | Steady | Declining |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Nicola
Gabriele
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Nicola | Gabriele |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 190 | 102 |
| 2010s | 245 | 177 |
| 2000s | 349 | 275 |
| 1990s | 413 | 120 |
| 1980s | 320 | 101 |
| 1970s | 441 | 78 |
| 1960s | 335 | 37 |
| 1950s | 159 | 0 |
| 1940s | 84 | 0 |
| 1930s | 85 | 0 |
| 1920s | 188 | 0 |
| 1910s | 197 | 0 |
| 1900s | 6 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Nicola or Gabriele more popular?
Nicola is more popular than Gabriele today: about 28 US babies were given the name Nicola in 2025, compared with 22 named Gabriele.
What is the difference between Nicola and Gabriele?
Nicola means Victory of the people (Italian origin), while Gabriele means God is my strength (Italian origin).
Which name is older, Nicola or Gabriele?
In US records, Nicola first appears in 1908 and Gabriele in 1961, so Nicola has the longer recorded history.