Nicholas

Nicholas or Nikolas or Nicolas or Nickolas is a male given name, derived from the Greek name Νικόλαος (Nikolaos), a compound of νίκη nikē 'victory' and λαός; laos 'people', that is, victor of the people. The name became popular through Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra in Lycia, the inspiration for Santa Claus. The name Nikolaos (Νικόλαος) pre-existed the Bishop of Myra who became Saint Nicholas, by several centuries. The Athenian historian Thucydides mentions that in the second year of the Peloponnesian war (431 to 404 BC) between Sparta and Athens, the Spartans sent a delegation to the Persian king to ask for his help to fight the Athenians. He mentions the names of the Spartan delegates, Nikolaos was a delegate. The customary English version of spelling "Nicholas", using an "h", first came into use in the 12th century and has been firmly established since the Reformation, though "Nicolas" is occasionally used. In the United States, Nicholas – and its variations – was the 17th most popular male name given to babies in 2006. Roughly 0.7151% of the baby boys born that year, or 15,414, were given that name. It is decreasing in popularity, from a high in 1997, when 27,248 males in the United States were given the name Nicholas. That year was the most popular year for Nicholas since 1880, when U.S. records were kept for given names.
The Eastern Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church, and the Anglican Churches celebrate Saint Nicholas every year on December 6, which is the name day for "Nicholas". In Greece, the name and its derivatives are especially popular in maritime regions, as St. Nicholas is considered the protector saint of seafarers.

Variations for males include:

• Afrikaans: Niklaas
• Albanian: Nikollë, Nikolla, Nikollai, Nikë, Niklaus, Klaus, Koll, Kolë
• Aragonese: Nicolau
• Armenian: Նիկողայոս (Nikog(h)ayos, Nigog(h)ayos), Նիկողոս (Nikog(h)os, Nigog(h)os)
• Basque: Nikola
• Belarusian: Мікалай (Mikalai), Мікола (Mikola)
• Breton: Nikolaz
• Bulgarian: Никола (Nikola), Николай (Nikolay), Никлен (Niklen), Никулица (Nikùlitsa), Коле (Kole), Кольо (Kolyo), Колю (Kolyu)
• Catalan: Nicolau
• Chinese: 尼古拉斯
• Croatian: Nikola, Nikula, Mikola, Mikac, Mika, Nikić, Niko, Mikula, Nikica
• Czech: Nikolas, Mikuláš,
• Danish: Claus, Klaus, Niels, Nicolai, Nikolaj, Nilas, Nis, Nikolas, Nikolai, Nicklas, Niklas
• Dutch: Nicolaas, Nikolaas, Klaas, Nico, Niek, Niels
• English: Nicholas, Nikolas, Nicolas, Colin, Collin
• Esperanto: Niĉjo, Niko, Nikolao
• Estonian: Nigul, Niilo, Mikk
• Fijian: Niko
• Finnish: Launo, Niilo, Niklas, Nikol, Nikolai
• French: Nicolas, Nico, Colas, Colin
• Galician: Nicolao
• Georgian: ნიკოლოზ (Nikoloz), ნიკო (Niko), ნიკა (Nika), კოლა (Kola)
• German: Claus, Claas, Klaas, Klaus, Klas, Nickolaus, Nicolaus, Niklaus, Nickolas, Nikolaus, Nikolo, Niklas, Nico, Niko
• Greek: Νικόλαος (Nikolaos), Νικόλας (Nikolas), Νίκος (Nikos), Νικολής (Nikolis)
• Hungarian: Miklós, Mikulás
• Icelandic: Nikulás, Níels, Nils
• Irish: Nioclás
• Italian: Nicola, Nicolò, Niccolò, Nico, Nicolas
• Latin: Nicolaus
• Latvian: Niklāvs, Nikolass, Nikolajs, Niks, Klāvs
• Lithuanian: Mikalojus, Nikolajus
• Leonese: Nicolás, Nicu, Colás
• Low German: Nikolaas, Nicolaas, Klaas, Klaus
• Macedonian: Никола (Nikola), Коле (Kole), Кољо (Koljo), Николче (Nikolče), Николе (Nikole)
• Malay: Nikk
• Māori: Nikora
• Norwegian: Nils, Nikolai
• Polish: Mikołaj, Mik, Mikołajek, Nikolas
• Portuguese: Nicolau, Nícolas
• Romanian: Neculai, Nicolae, Nicu, Nicușor, Niculae
• Russian: Николай (Nikolai), Коля (Kolya)
• Scottish Gaelic: Neacel, Nichol, Nicol, Caelan, Calen
• Serbian: Никола (Nikola), Николај (Nikolaj), Никодије (Nikodije), Кода (Koda), Коле (Kole), Никша (Nikša),Николица (Nikolica), Никшица (Nikšica), Нико (Niko), Никица (Nikica)
• Slovak: Mikuláš, Nikola, Mikoláš
• Slovene: Miklavž, Niko, Nikolaj
• Spanish: Nicolás, Nicolao
• Swedish: Nels, Niklas, Niclas, Nicklas, Nils, Klas, Claes
• Thai: นิโคลัส (Níkohlát, Nikholạs̄)
• Tongan: Nikolasi
• Turkish: Nikola
• Tatar: Микулай/Miqulay
• Ukrainian: Микола (Mykola), Миколай (Mykolai, Mykolay)
• Vietnamese: Ninh Cữu
• Upper Sorbian: Mikławš
• West Frisian: Klaes

• Behind the Name – the Etymology and History of First Names
• Nordic Names
• http://www.turukdergisi.com/Makaleler/551162954_13.Z.Kirillova%2064-70.pdf

Female forms include:

• Bulgarian: Николина (Nikolina), Николета (Nikoleta), Никол (Nikol), Нина (Nina)
• Croatian: Nikolina, Nika, Nina
• Czech: Nikol, Nikoleta, Nikola, Nicol
• Dutch: Klasina, Klazina, Nicole, Nicolien, Nicolet, Nicoline
• Danish: Nikoline
• English: Nicole/Nichole/Nicolle/Nikole/Nikkole, Nicola/Nichola, Nicolette, Colette, Nicki/Nicky/Nikki/Nicci
• French: Colette, Coline, Nicole, Nicolette, Nicoline, Cosette
• German: Nicole, Nikole, Nicola, Nikola
• Greek: Νίκη (Níkē, a conflation with Níke), Νικολέτα (Nikoléta), Νικολίνα (Νikolína)
• Hungarian: Nikolett
• Italian: Nicoletta, Nicole, Nicolina
• Macedonian: Nikolina
• Norwegian: Nilsine, Nicoline
• Polish: Nikola
• Portuguese: Nicole
• Romanian: Niculina, Nicoleta
• Scottish: Nicola, Nicholas (Lowlands 18th/19th century)
• Serbian: Nikolija (archaic), Nikolina, Nikoleta
• Slovak: Nikola, Nikoleta
• Slovene: Nika
• Spanish: Nicolasa, Nicoleta, Nicole

Single name (rulers, popes, patriarch and antipopes)

• Antipope Nicholas V
• Nicholas I of Russia
• Nicholas II of Russia
• Nicholas III of Russia
• Nikola I Petrović Njegoš (1840–1921) King of Montenegro
• Patriarchs of Constantinople of which best known are Nicholas Mystikos, and Nicholas III Grammatikos
• Prince Nicholas of Romania (1903–1978)
• Pope Nicholas I
• Pope Nicholas II
• Pope Nicholas III
• Pope Nicholas IV
• Pope Nicholas V

Given (first) name

• Nicholas Ansell, Australian footballer
• Nicholas of Cusa
• Nicholas Hoult, (born 1989), English actor and model
• Nicholas Alipui (21st century), UNICEF's Director of Programmes
• Nicholas Bayard (1644–1707), American official
• Nicholas Bayard (theologian), Dominican theologian
• Nicholas Bett (born 1992), Kenyan hurdler
• Nicholas Briggs (born 1961), British actor known as the voice of the Daleks on Doctor Who
• Nicholas Clapp, American writer, film-maker, and amateur archaeologist
• Nicholas "Nick" Clegg (born 1967), British politician
• Nicholas A. Christakis (born 1962), American sociologist and physician
• Nicholas Scott Lachey (born 1973), American singer, songwriter, actor, producer, and television personality
• Nicholas Mosley (born 1923), British novelist and aristocrat
• Nicholas Nahas (born 1946), Lebanese businessman and politician
• Nicholas Negroponte (born 1943), Greek American computer scientist and architect
• Nicholas Patrick (born 1964), British-American engineer and astronaut
• Nicholas Pegg, British actor, director and writer
• Nicholas Pertuit, American football player
• Nicholas "Nick" Jay Rickles (born 1990), American baseball player
• Nicholas J. Sandlin (1832–1896), American politician
• Nicholas Sparks (born 1965), American novelist, screenwriter
• Nicholas Sparks (politician) (1794–1862), American politician
• Nicholas Tatambuka (born 1985), Ugandan singer and dancer
• Nicholas Tse (Chinese: 謝霆鋒, born 1980), Hong Kong singer and actor
• Nicholas "Nick" Frost (born 1970), British comedian, actor and screenwriter
• Nicholas "Nick" Robinson (born 1995), American actor
• Nicholas "Nick" Cannon (born 1980), American actor, comedian, rapper, and radio/television personality
• Nikola Tesla (born 1856), Serbian American inventor, electrical engineer, mechanical engineer, physicist, and futurist

Nobility

• Nicholas I of Russia (1796–1855), Emperor of Russia
• Nicholas II of Russia (1868–1918), Emperor of Russia

Saints

• Saint Nicholas The Duc Bui, one of the Vietnamese Martyrs
• Saint Nicholas of Flüe
• Saint Nicholas of Japan
• Saint Nicholas of Myra, also known as Sinterklaas
• Saint Nicholas of Tolentino
• Saint Nicholas of Russia (Nicholas II of Russia)

Surname

• Bob Nicholas (born 1957) American politician
• Edward Nicholas (1593–1699) English politician
• Fred Nicholas (1893–1962) British cricketer
• George Nicholas (1754–1799) American law professor, son or Robert C. Nicholas Sr.
• George Nicholas (footballer) (born 1992)
• Harry Nicholas (1905–1997) British trade unionist
• John Nicholas (academic) 17th century Oxford administrator
• John Nicholas (congressman) (1764–1819) American lawyer and politician, father of Robert C. Nicholas
• John Nicholas (judge) Australian judge
• John Nicholas (of Chepstow) 17th century English politician
• The Nicholas Brothers, American tap dancers:
  • Fayard Nicholas (1914–2006)
  • Harold Nicholas (1921–2000)
• Nick St. Nicholas (born 1943) musician
• Paul Nicholas (born 1944) English actor and singer
• Phil Nicholas (born 1955) American politician
• Philip Nicholas (1876–1952) Welsh rugby player
• Robert Nicolas (1595–1667) English politician
• Robert Carter Nicholas, Sr. (1728–1780) American lawyer and politician
• Robert Carter Nicholas (1793–1857) American planter and politician
• Robert C. Nicholas (New York) (1801–1851) American politician
• William H. Nicholas (1892–1984) American politician
• Wilson Cary Nicholas (1761–1820) American banker and politician