Baby Names Boy Names Nicholas Name Meaning Learn more about the meaning, origin, and popularity of the name Nicholas. By Vicky Yip Updated on June 10, 2024 Fact checked by Sarah Scott In This Article View All In This Article How Popular Is the Name Nicholas? Name Variations Common Nicknames for Nicholas Suggested Sibling Names Famous People Named Nicholas Close If you’re looking for a classic and versatile name for a baby boy, then Nicholas might be it. The name Nicholas is of Greek origin meaning "victory of the people." The Greek word nike means "victory" and laos means "people." Nicholas is often associated with Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century bishop. Saint Nicholas of Myra was an early Christian bishop of Greek descent during the time of the Roman Empire. He is known as the saint of children who gave away all of his inherited wealth and traveled the countryside helping the poor and sick. His legend forms the basis of the figure known as Santa Claus. Due to the renown of Saint Nicholas, the name is popular all over the world. However, the name predates Saint Nicholas by several centuries. Athenian historian Thucydides mentions that a man named Nikolaos was part of the Spartan delegation sent to the Persian king during the Peloponnesian War between 431 and 404 BCE. Origin: The name Nicholas is of Greek origin meaning "victory of the people"Gender: Nicholas is most commonly used as a boy name. Its shortened form "Nicky" is also often used as a nickname for Nicole, the feminine form of the name.Pronunciation: nik-uh-lus Editor's Note Although baby names are separated by gender, Parents believes that sex does not need to play a role in your name selection process. It's important to select a name that you feel suits your new baby the best. How Popular Is the Name Nicholas? Ever since 1900, the first available year of data from the Social Security Administration, the name Nicholas has appeared in the top 1,000 list of names for baby boys. It's safe to say that Nicholas has always been a popular name, and it finally broke the top 100 when it ranked as No. 99 in 1972. It has continued to increase in popularity for the most part until its peak in 1999 when it was ranked as No. 5 in the most popular baby boy names. After that, the name Nicholas became less common. Although still considered a popular name, it is on the decline and slipped to position No. 109 in 2023. Name Variations The following are variations of the name Nicholas: Nikollë (Albanian) Nikola (Basque) Niko (Croatian) Nicolaas (Dutch) Nigulas (Estonian) Nicolas (French) Nicholaus, Nicolaus (German) Nikulas (Icelandic) Nicolo (Italian) Nikorasu (Japanese) Niklavs (Latvian) Nikolai (Norwegian) Nicolau (Portuguese) Nikolasi (Tongan) Nico (Spanish) Similar Names Similar sounding names to Nicholas include: ColeKeithNathanNathanielNelsonNickodemusNolan Other Greek boy names include: Basil Constantine Darius Julian Leo Maximus Orion Theo Other names that start with "N" include: Nash Nasir Nehemiah Neil Nevin Newt Newton Nigal Niles Noah Norbert Norman Common Nicknames for Nicholas Nicholas can be shortened in many different ways for a more relaxed take on the name. Consider the following nicknames for Nicolas: CollinNicNickNickyNicoNik Suggested Sibling Names Looking for a sibling name for Nicholas? Here are some popular options: Alexander Benjamin Calista Christopher Michael Nathanial Penelope Phoebe Sophia Thalia Famous People Named Nicholas The peak of the name Nicholas in the 1990s coincided with the popularity of several pop culture figures during that time. Movie actor Nicholas Cage was at the height of his fame with a string of movies that came out in that decade, including Snake Eyes and City of Angels. In 1996, Nicholas Sparks published his romantic novel The Notebook, which ended up on the New York Times bestseller list and sold 105 million copies worldwide. It was also made into a popular motion picture. But the name Nicholas in its many forms has been popular throughout history. Notable people named Nicholas have included varied personas from ancient Greek philosopher Nicolaus of Damascus to modern American pop star Nick Jonas. Famous Nicholases and Nicks Nicholas Cage, award-winning American actor and filmmakerNicholas Sparks, author of the romantic novel The Notebook which was made into a popular movie of the same nameNick Jonas, American singer, songwriter and actor who began his career as a member of the Jonas BrothersNick Nolte, Golden Globe Award-winning American actor, producer, author, and former model Nick Offerman, American actor, writer, comedian, and producer who rose to fame in the NBC sitcom Parks and RecreationNick Cannon, American comedian, actor, rapper, and television presenter Nick Saban, American football coach who has served as the head football coach at the University of Alabama since 2007Nikola Tesla, Serbian-American inventor, electrical engineer, mechanical engineer, and futurist Nick Lachey, American singer, television personality, and host who rose to fame as the lead singer of the multi-platinum-selling boyband 98 DegreesNicolas Sarkozy, French politician who served as President of France and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra Fictional Nicholases and Nicks Nicholas Nickleby, fictional character from Charles Dickens’ novel by the same nameNicolas Flamel, French wizard and alchemist who was referenced in the Harry Potter book series as the maker of the Philosopher’s StoneNicke Wilde, a con-artist fox character in the Disney animated film Zootopia who ends up helping the heroineNicholas "Nick" Stokes, fictional character from the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationNick Fury, Colonel Nicholas Joseph Fury is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics More Baby Names Still searching for the perfect baby name? Check out these related baby name lists for even more options: 45 Gender-Neutral Baby Names 58 Baby Names Inspired by Nature 50 Creative Baby Names Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources Parents uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Popularity of Name Nicholas. Social Security Administration. 2024.