What does Nicola mean?
Nicola is the Italian form of Nicholas — a boys’ name in Italy, “victory of the people.”
What does Pietro mean?
Pietro is the Italian form of Peter, “rock.”
Nicola vs Pietro
Which is more popular?
Pietro is more popular than Nicola today: about 40 US babies were given the name Pietro in 2025, compared with 28 named Nicola.
| Nicola | Pietro | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Victory of the people | Rock, stone |
| Origin | Italian | Italian |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | nee-KOH-lah | pee-EH-troh |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1908 | 1909 |
| Peak year | 1972 (53) | 1974 (52) |
| In 2025 | 28 | 40 |
| Trend | Steady | Steady |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Nicola
Pietro
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Nicola | Pietro |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 190 | 215 |
| 2010s | 245 | 349 |
| 2000s | 349 | 261 |
| 1990s | 413 | 271 |
| 1980s | 320 | 280 |
| 1970s | 441 | 378 |
| 1960s | 335 | 212 |
| 1950s | 159 | 75 |
| 1940s | 84 | 18 |
| 1930s | 85 | 48 |
| 1920s | 188 | 171 |
| 1910s | 197 | 140 |
| 1900s | 6 | 5 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Nicola or Pietro more popular?
Pietro is more popular than Nicola today: about 40 US babies were given the name Pietro in 2025, compared with 28 named Nicola.
What is the difference between Nicola and Pietro?
Nicola means Victory of the people (Italian origin), while Pietro means Rock, stone (Italian origin).
Which name is older, Nicola or Pietro?
In US records, Nicola first appears in 1908 and Pietro in 1909, so Nicola has the longer recorded history.