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