Boy name · Greek
Nicholas
“victory of the people”
Vibes
Common nicknames
Short-forms and diminutives parents often use for Nicholas.
Explore Nicholas further
Similar-feel alternatives, or middle-name candidates that pair well with Nicholas — both ranked by the same scoring system (vibe overlap, syllable rhythm, origin compatibility).
About the name
Nicholas is Greek Nikolaos: nike, victory, plus laos, people. It is the same name as the shorter Nico and Niko already in our corpus, in full dress.
Saint Nicholas was a fourth-century bishop of Myra, in what is now Turkey, and his reputation for secret gifts turned into Santa Claus, whose Dutch name Sinterklaas is a contraction of Saint Nicholas.
It has many short forms: Nick, Nicky, Cole, Nico. Three syllables take one (Nicholas Jude, Nicholas Wells). On our vibe map it is Heirloom with Vintage Elegant weight.
More Greek names
Nicholas sits in our Greek set — these share its roots.
All Greek names →Nicholas — common questions
Is Nicholas a boy or girl name?
Nicholas is traditionally a boy name of Greek origin.
What does the name Nicholas mean?
Nicholas means “victory of the people” of Greek origin. Nicholas is Greek Nikolaos: nike, victory, plus laos, people. It is the same name as the shorter Nico and Niko already in our corpus, in full dress.
Where does the name Nicholas come from?
Nicholas is Greek in origin. Saint Nicholas was a fourth-century bishop of Myra, in what is now Turkey, and his reputation for secret gifts turned into Santa Claus, whose Dutch name Sinterklaas is a contraction of Saint Nicholas.
What are common nicknames for Nicholas?
Nick, Nicky, and Cole — the short-forms parents most often use for Nicholas.
How popular is Nicholas?
Nicholas did not make the top 1,000 boys' names in US Social Security Administration data for 2025, which makes it genuinely rare in the US.
Bring the name into the room
A couple of nice things named Nicholas you might want for the nursery.