boy's name
Nicolas
NIK-o-las
- Origin Greek
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 3
- Letters 7
- Popularity Top 1000 (France)
- Births on record 535,624
the United States
#177
2025 births
Nicolas is a boy's name of Greek origin meaning "victory of the people." It is the French form of Nicholas, from nike, victory, and laos, people — and Saint Nicholas is the origin of Father Christmas.
- Nicolas is a name of Greek origin.
- Peaked in France in 1980, when 21,800 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade in France.
- Today about 1 in 2,947 babies in France is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1900.
- 3 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Nicolas over time
Births per decade in France, 1900s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 3,660 |
| 1910s | 2,765 |
| 1920s | 2,650 |
| 1930s | 2,165 |
| 1940s | 1,865 |
| 1950s | 3,360 |
| 1960s | 23,160 |
| 1970s | 95,685 |
| 1980s | 146,075 |
| 1990s | 83,410 |
| 2000s | 33,720 |
| 2010s | 6,370 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 1,670 |
What Nicolas means
Nicolas means the people's victory. The elements are nike, victory, and laos, the people, so the triumph belongs to everyone rather than to the bearer.
Where Nicolas comes from
Nicolas is the French and Spanish form of the Greek Nikolaos — nike, victory, and laos, people. Saint Nicholas of Myra, a fourth-century bishop remembered for secret gift-giving, became Sinterklaas in Dutch and then Santa Claus in American English, so Father Christmas is this name worn down. The single-l Nicolas is standard in French, Spanish and Portuguese; English doubles it as Nicholas. Nike, the goddess of victory, gives the sportswear brand its name from the same word.
Nicolas in use
Our data shows Nicolas stable, peaking in 1980, and it first appears in our records in 1900. It sits alongside Nicholas and Nico on this site — three entries from one Greek original, and between them considerably more used than any single ranking shows.
How popular is Nicolas?
In 2025, Nicolas was given to 200 babies in France, ranking #269 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Nicolas is used
French counts are rounded to the nearest five and nothing below five is published, so these figures show the shape of the name's use rather than an exact tally. Data & sources.
How Nicolas is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Nicolás | Nicolás is a rare spelling of Nicolas, written with a fada and recorded 14 times, mostly in Ireland. | 14 |
Names that peaked alongside Nicolas
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Nicolas also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Nicolas over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
4 nicknames for Nicolas
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Nicolas in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Nicolas
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Nicolas — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Nicolas
What does the name Nicolas mean?
Nicolas means "victory of the people," from the Greek nike, victory, and laos, people.
What is the difference between Nicolas and Nicholas?
Only spelling. Nicolas is French, Spanish and Portuguese; Nicholas is the English form.
Is Santa Claus named after Nicholas?
Directly. Saint Nicholas became Sinterklaas in Dutch and then Santa Claus in American English.
How popular is the name Nicolas?
In 2025, Nicolas was given to 200 babies in France, ranking #269 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Nicolas a girl's or a boy's name?
Nicolas is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Nicolas?
Nicolas has 3 syllables.
When was Nicolas most popular?
Nicolas peaked in 1980, when 21,800 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Nicolas?
Nicolas is usually shortened to Nick, Nico, Colin and Nicky.
Is Nicolas a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Nicolas currently ranks #177 in France. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.