Nicholas
NIK-uh-lus
A classic Christian name meaning “victory of the people,” long linked with St. Nicholas and gift-giving traditions.
Meaning
The name comes from Greek elements meaning “victory” and “people,” giving the sense “victory of the people.” In the excerpted 19th-century source, Nicholas is also tied to the famous St. Nicholas tradition, which helped spread the name widely through Christian legend and custom.
Origin
GreekEnglishmasculine
Fun fact
The name’s association with St. Nicholas helped turn him into the seasonal gift-bringer in parts of Europe, especially in traditions that fed into Christmas gift-giving.
Confidence: sourced. Sources: History of Christian Names, Praenomina; or, the etymology of the principal Christian names of Great Britain and Ireland.