Like a few others here, I grew up in a
Nicole generation. I knew a lot of Nicoles, and a lot of people with
Nicole as their middle name as well. So it's not very interesting to me, but if I try to look at it from a distance I can see why it was so popular at the time - and perhaps how it might become popular again.
Nicole is sharp and smart. It's got the perfect crisp, cheery, fresh spirit that they loved for girls in the 80s and into the 90s. It fits in perfectly with
Courtney,
Alexis,
Jessica,
Christine, etc. It's undeniably feminine without being too floaty, and it has the very non-threatening "
Nikki,
Nicki,
Nicky" etc to fall back on. It's versatile, too - works great for a kid as well as a grown up (although "Granny
Nicole" still feels a bit odd to me).