Nicholas


Nicholas is a male name, the Anglophone version of an ancient Greek name in use since antiquity, and cognate with the modern Greek Νικόλαος,. It originally derived from a combination of two Greek words meaning 'victory' and 'people'. In turn, the name means "victory of the people."
The name has been widely used in countries with significant Christian populations, owing in part to the veneration of Saint Nicholas, which became increasingly prominent in Western Europe from the 11th century. Revered as a saint in many Christian denominations, the Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, and Anglican Churches all celebrate Saint Nicholas Day on December 6. In maritime regions throughout Europe, the name and its derivatives have been especially popular, as St Nicholas is considered the protector saint of seafarers. This remains particularly so in Greece, where St Nicholas is the patron saint of the Hellenic Navy.

Origins

The name derives from the. It is understood to mean 'victory of the people', being a compound of two Greek words, νίκη, nī́kē 'victory' and λᾱός, lāós 'people'. An ancient paretymology of the latter element, λᾱός, is that it originates from λᾶς, , meaning 'stone' or 'rock'. This is in reference to the story of Deucalion and Pyrrha from Greek mythology. As the sole survivors of a catastrophic deluge, they were able to repopulate the world by throwing stones behind them, over their shoulders, while they kept marching on. The stones formed men and women where they landed.
The name became popular through Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra in Lycia, the inspiration for Santa Claus, but it predates said bishop by several centuries: the Athenian historian Thucydides for example, mentions that in the second year of the Peloponnesian War between Sparta and Athens, the Spartans sent a delegation to the Persian king to ask for his help to fight the Athenians; a certain Nikolaos was one of the delegates.
The customary English spelling Nicholas, using a ch, as though the word were spelled in Greek with a chi, first came into use in the 12th century and has been firmly established since the Reformation, although the spelling Nicolas is occasionally used.
In Scotland, until the late nineteenth century, fishing communities used Nicholas as a female name.

Male variations

Variations for males include:
  • ayos, Nigog, Նիկողոս os, Nigog
  • Asturleonese: Nicolás, Nicu, Colás
  • , Мікола
  • , Николай, Никлен, Никулица, Коле, Кольо, Колю
  • ნიკოლოზ, ნიკო, ნიკა, კოლა
  • , Νικόλας, Νίκος, Νικολής
  • Iranian: Nik
  • , Коле, Кољо, Николче, Николе
  • , Коля
  • , Ниџо
  • , Миколай

  • Female forms

Female forms include:
  • Bulgarian: Николина, Николета, Никол, Нина
  • Czech: Nikol, Nikoleta, Nikola, Nicol
  • Dutch: Klasina, Klazina, Nicole, Nicolien, Nicolet, Nicoline
  • Danish: Nikoline
  • English: Nicole/Nichole, Nicola/Nichola
  • French: Colette, Coline, Nicole, Nicolette, Nicoline, Cosette
  • German: Nikol, Nikole, Nikola, Nicole, Nicola
  • Greek: Νίκη, Νικολέτα, Νικολίνα
  • Hungarian: Nikolett
  • Indonesian: Nicole, Niki, Nicola
  • Italian: Nicoletta, Nicole, Nicolina
  • Macedonian: Николина
  • Norwegian: Nilsine, Nicoline
  • Polish: Nikola
  • Portuguese: Nicole
  • Romanian: Niculina, Nicoleta
  • Scottish: Nicola, Nicholas
  • Serbo-Croatian: Nikolija, Nikolina, Nikoleta
  • Slovak: Nikola, Nikoleta
  • Slovene: Nika
  • Spanish: Nicol, Nicoleta, Nicoletta, Nikol, Nicole.

    People known as Nicholas

Single name (rulers, popes, patriarch and antipopes)

  • Antipope Nicholas V
  • Nicholas I of Russia
  • Nicholas II of Russia
  • Nikola I Petrović-Njegoš King of Montenegro
  • Patriarchs of Constantinople, of which the best known are Nicholas Mystikos and Nicholas III Grammatikos
  • Prince Nicholas of Romania
  • Pope Nicholas I
  • Pope Nicholas II
  • Pope Nicholas III
  • Pope Nicholas IV
  • Pope Nicholas V

    Given name

  • Nicholas Abercrombie, English academic and sociologist
  • Nicholas Dias Abeysinghe, Ceylonese–Dutch colonial administrator
  • Nicholas Abram, French Jesuit and theologian
  • Nicholas Yaw Boafo Adade, Ghanaian judge
  • Nicholas Addlery, Jamaican soccer player
  • Nicholas Agar, New Zealand professor
  • Nicholas Alahverdian, American sex offender
  • Nicholas Albery, English author and social inventor
  • Nicholas Alexis, Trinidadian cricketer
  • Nicholas Alipui, Ghanaian humanitarian
  • Nicholas Alkemade British tail gunner
  • Nicholas Allard, American attorney
  • Nicholas Allenby, English Anglican clergyman
  • Nicholas Amankwah, Ghanaian politician
  • Nicholas R. Amato, American politician
  • Nicholas Ammeter, Swiss soccer player
  • Nicholas Amoako, Ghanaian soccer player
  • Nicholas Amponsah, Ghanaian soccer player
  • Nicholas Angelich, American pianist
  • Nicholas Angell, American ice hockey player
  • Nicholas Archibald, Scottish cricketer
  • Nicholas Arciniaga, American long-distance runner
  • Nicholas Armstrong, English cricketer
  • Nicholas Asbury, British actor and author
  • Nicholas Anthony Ascioti, American composer and conductor
  • Nicholas Ashmore, British military officer
  • Nicholas Ashton, English cricketer
  • Nicholas Asmussen, German–born Canadian politician and building contractor
  • Nicholas Asselta, American politician
  • Nicholas Ayache, French computer scientist
  • Nicholas Bacon, several people
  • Nicholas Baptiste, Haitian–Canadian ice hockey player
  • Nicholas Barré, French Catholic priest
  • Nicholas Basbanes, American author
  • Nicholas Bayard, Dutch–born American slave trader
  • Nicholas Bayard , Dominican theologian
  • Nicholas Baylies, American judge, lawyer, and politician
  • Nicholas Benavides, Hong Kong soccer player
  • Nicholas Bennett, several people
  • Nicholas Benois, Russian architect
  • Nicholas F. Benton, American publisher
  • Nicholas Berliner, American diplomat
  • Nicholas Bett, Kenyan hurdler
  • Nicholas Kiptanui Bett, Kenyan steeplechase runner
  • Nicholas Bignall, English soccer player
  • Nicholas Bilokapic, Australian soccer player
  • Nicholas Binge, Singaporean–born British author
  • Nicholas Bingham, English mathematician
  • Nicholas Biwott, Kenyan businessman, philanthropist, and politician
  • Nicholas Blain, Australian economist
  • Nicholas Blake, several people
  • Nicholas Blechman, American illustrator and graphic designer
  • Nicholas Blincoe, English author, critic, and screenwriter
  • Nicholas Blomley, English–Canadian professor and legal geographer
  • Nicholas Bloom, British–American economist and professor
  • Nicholas Bodman, American linguist
  • Nicholas Bonneville, French bookseller, journalist, printer, and writer
  • Nicholas Bonsor, English politician
  • Nicholas Boyle, English academic and literary critic
  • Nicholas Bradanovich, New Zealand rugby union player
  • Nicholas F. Brady, American banker and politician
  • Nicholas Braun, American actor
  • Nicholas Brendon, American actor and writer
  • Nicholas Briggs, English actor, composer, director, and writer
  • Nicholas Briot, medallist, coin engraver, and mechanical engineer
  • Nicholas Britell, American actor
  • Nicholas Brodszky, Russian–Ukrainian composer
  • Nicholas Bruckman, English–American documentarian
  • Nicholas Buckland, English ice dancer
  • Nicholas Budgen, English politician
  • Nicholas Budgeon, Australian field hockey player
  • Nicholas Bullen, English musician
  • Nicholas Bundock, Scottish Anglican bishop
  • Nicholas Burtner, American permaculturist
  • Nicholas Calabrese, American mob hitman
  • Nicholas J. Calogero, American politician
  • Nicholas Campbell, Canadian actor and filmmaker
  • Nicholas Campion, English astrologer and author
  • Nicholas Canellakis, American cellist
  • Nicholas Canny, Irish academic and historian
  • Nicholas Cartwright, Australian actor
  • Nicholas Cavaliere, American cinematographer
  • Nicholas J. Celebrezze, American politician and lawyer
  • Nicholas Chabraja, Serbian–American lawyer
  • Nicholas Chalmers, English conductor
  • Nicholas Chamberlain, English Anglican bishop
  • Nicholas Charnetsky, Ukrainian Catholic bishop
  • Nicholas Chase, American composer
  • Nicholas Chelimo, Kenyan long-distance runner
  • Nicholas Chiaravalloti, American politician
  • Nicholas F. Chilton, Australian chemist and professor
  • Nicholas Choi, Hong Kong foil fencer
  • Nicholas Christakis, American physician and sociologist
  • Nicholas Christenfeld, American professor and psychologist
  • Nicholas Christofilos, Greek physicist
  • Nicholas Ciarelli, American journalist
  • Nicholas J. Cifarelli, Italian–American physician
  • Nicholas Cirillo, American actor and producer
  • Nicholas Civella, American mobster
  • Nicholas Clack, English rower
  • Nicholas Clagett, English bishop
  • Nicholas Clapp, American filmmaker, writer, and amateur archaeologist
  • Nicholas Clapton, English author, countertenor, and singing teacher
  • Nicholas Clavin, Irish soccer player
  • Nicholas Cleaver, Australian freestyle skier
  • Nicholas Clemente, attorney, judge, novelist, and professor
  • Nicholas Cleobury, English conductor
  • Nicholas Clinch, author, environmentalist, lawyer, and mountaineer
  • Nicholas Colasanto, American actor and director
  • Nicholas Coleridge, English author, cultural chair, and media executive
  • Nicholas Colla, Australian actor and filmmaker
  • Nicholas Collon, British conductor
  • Nicholas Comper, English aviator and aircraft designer
  • Nicholas Conard, American–German archaeologist and prehistorian
  • Nicholas Condy, English painter
  • Nicholas Confessore, American political correspondent
  • Nicholas Congiato, Italian Jesuit priest
  • Nicholas Connor, English filmmaker
  • Nicholas Conroy, Irish–born Canadian farmer and politician
  • Nicholas Contreraz, American torture victim
  • Nicholas Copeman, English Navy officer
  • Nicholas Corozzo, American mobster
  • Nicholas Cosmo, American businessman and white-collar criminal
  • Nicholas Cottam, British military officer
  • Nicholas Courtney, Egyptian–born English actor
  • Nicholas Cowdery, Australian barrister
  • Nicholas Cradock, Australian actor
  • Nicholas Crafts, British economist
  • Nicholas Crane, English broadcaster, explorer, geographer, and writer
  • Nicholas Craven, Canadian record producer
  • Nicholas Creed, English cricketer
  • Nicholas Cresswell, English diarist and explorer
  • Nicholas Cummings, American author and psychologist
  • Nicholas Cummins, Australian cricket administrator
  • Nicholas D'Agosto, American actor
  • Nicholas Daniloff, French–born American journalist
  • Nicholas Danby, British organist, recitalist, and teacher
  • Nicholas Dante, American dancer and writer
  • Nicholas Davey, British philosopher and professor
  • Nicholas Dawidoff, American writer
  • Nicholas Delbanco, American writer
  • Nicholas Denton, Australian actor and writer
  • Nicholas Devlin, Canadian judge
  • Nicholas Dillon, Trinidadian soccer player
  • Nicholas Dimbleby, English sculptor
  • Nicholas Dopuch, American educator and accounting researcher
  • Nicholas Doumanis, Australian historian
  • Nicholas Downs, American actor
  • Nicholas Dozenberg, Latvian–born American communist
  • Nicholas Dromgoole, Brazilian–born English ballet critic
  • Nicholas Duarte, Australian soccer player
  • Nicholas Duncan-Williams, Ghanaian preacher and religious leader
  • Nicholas Fairall, American ski jumper
  • Nicholas Fairbairn, Scottish advocate and politician
  • Nicholas Falcone, Italian–American composer, conductor, educator, and marching band director
  • Nicholas Fandos, American journalist
  • Nicholas Farrell, English actor
  • Nicholas Fattoush, Lebanese politician
  • Nicholas Fekete, Canadian modern pentathlete
  • Nicholas Fenn, British diplomat
  • Nicholas Fernandes, Indian soccer player
  • Nicholas Fernandez, Australian figure skater
  • Nicholas Fernando, Sri Lankan Catholic archbishop
  • Nicholas Fernicola, American politician
  • Nicholas Ferraby, English cricketer
  • Nicholas Ferraro, American lawyer and politician
  • Nicholas Field, British actor
  • Nicholas Fitzherbert, English secretary
  • Nicholas Fitzsimon, Irish politician
  • Nicholas Fletcher, American football player and coach
  • Nicholas Folker, South African swimmer
  • Nicholas Folland, Australian artist and educator
  • Nicholas Ford, American politician
  • Nicholas Forell, German structural engineer
  • Nicholas Fortugno, American educator and game designer
  • Nicholas Forwood, British barrister and judge
  • Nicholas Foulkes, English author, historian, and journalist
  • Nicholas Frankau, English actor
  • Nicholas Frankl, Hungarian–English bobsledder
  • Nicholas Frayling, English Anglican priest
  • Nicholas Freeston, English poet
  • Nicholas Fung, Malaysian golfer
  • Nicholas Galitzine, English actor
  • Nicholas Gleaves, English actor and playwright
  • Nicholas Gonzalez, American actor
  • Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke, English historian and professor
  • Nicholas Grimshaw, English architect
  • Nicholas Halliday, Hong Kong sailor
  • Nicholas Hammond, several people
  • Nicholas Hoult, English actor
  • Nicholas Hytner, English director and producer
  • Nicholas LaRoche, American figure skater
  • Nicholas Lash, English Catholic theologian
  • Nicholas Latifi, Canadian racing driver
  • Nicholas Laucella, American composer and flautist
  • Nicholas Laughlin, Trinidadian editor and writer
  • Nicholas Lavender, English judge
  • Nicholas Lavery, Australian rower
  • Nicholas Lea, Canadian actor
  • Nicholas Legeros, American bronze sculptor
  • Nicholas Lemann, American academic and writer
  • Nicholas Lezard, English author, journalist, and literary critic
  • Nicholas Lindheim, American golfer
  • Nicholas Livas, Greek–American basketball player
  • Nicholas Loftin, American record producer
  • Nicholas Logsdail, English art dealer
  • Nicholas Loney, English businessman
  • Nicholas Longworth, American lawyer and politician
  • Nicholas Luard, British politician and writer
  • Nicholas Lydon, British biochemist, entrepreneur, and scientist
  • Nicholas Lyell, English politician
  • Nicholas Lyndhurst, English actor
  • Nicholas Mangione, American real estate developer
  • Nicholas McDonald, Scottish singer and songwriter
  • Nicholas Megura, American fighter pilot
  • Nicholas Michalski, English footballer
  • Nicholas Monroe, American tennis player
  • Nicholas Morrow, American football player
  • Nicholas Mosley, English aristocrat, biographer, and novelist
  • Nicholas Nayfack, American film producer
  • Nicholas Negroponte, Greek–American architect and computer scientist
  • Nicholas Nicastro, American filmmaker, writer, and film critic
  • Nicholas Nixon, American photographer
  • Nicholas O'Connor, Irish politician
  • Nicholas R. O'Connor, American politician from New York
  • Nicholas Patrick, English–American astronaut and engineer
  • Nicholas Paul, Trinidadian track cyclist
  • Nicholas Pegg, English actor, director, and writer
  • Nicholas Petit-Frere, American football player
  • Nicholas Pettas, Greek–Danish mixed martial artist
  • Nicholas Pierini, Italian soccer player
  • Nicholas Pileggi, American author and screenwriter
  • Nicholas Pinnock, English actor
  • Nicholas Platt, American diplomat
  • Nicholas Podany, American actor
  • Nicholas Pooran, Trinidadian cricketer
  • Nicholas Pryor, American actor
  • Nicholas Rescher, German–born American author, philosopher, and polymath
  • Nicholas Russo, Italian Catholic priest, Jesuit, missionary, and philosopher
  • Nicholas Sacco, American politician
  • Nicholas Samartis, Australian artist, photographer, and sculptor
  • Nicholas Santora, American mobster
  • Nicholas Santos, Brazilian swimmer
  • Nicholas Saputra, Indonesian actor and film producer
  • Nicholas Sheehy, Irish Catholic priest
  • Nicholas Singleton, American football player
  • Nicholas Soames, English politician
  • Nicholas Sparks , American politician
  • Nicholas Sparks, American novelist and screenwriter
  • Nicholas Stoller, English–born American filmmaker
  • Nicholas Tarling, New Zealand academic, author, and historian
  • Nicholas Teo, Malaysian–Chinese singer
  • Nicholas Thorburn, Canadian musician
  • Nicholas Treadwell, English gallerist
  • Nicholas Tse, Hong Kong actor, entrepreneur, singer, songwriter, and martial artist
  • Nicholas Turturro, American actor
  • Nicholas Walters, Jamaican boxer
  • Nicholas Winton, English humanitarian and stockbroker
  • Nicholas Worth, American actor
  • Nicholas Wrigley, British merchant banker