Nikolaus
- Gender
- Boy
- Say it
- NIK-oh-lows
- Origin
- Greek
- US rank, 2025
- #4,248 for boys
Nikolaus is a boys' name of Greek origin, meaning “victory of the people”. In 2025 it ranked 4,248th for boys in the US (24 babies).
What does Nikolaus mean?
Greek: German form of Nicholas
“victory of the people”
In German-speaking countries, Sankt Nikolaus brings gifts to children on 6 December, his feast day.
Is Nikolaus a girl's or a boy's name?
Nikolaus is a boys' name. In 2025, it was given to 24 boys in the US. Too few girls were given it to be listed.
How popular is Nikolaus in the US?
- Rank in 2025
- #4,248among boys
- Babies in 2025
- 24about 1 in 71,000 boys
- Five-year trend
- Steadydown 4% in five years
- Same name in a class
- under 1%chance among 15 boys
In 2025, 24 boys in the US were named Nikolaus, making it the 4,248th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 4,536th. Its busiest year was 1994, with 98 boys. It first appears in the records in 1955.
Half of all the boys named Nikolaus in the US since 1880 were born between 1987 and 2004, the years shaded on the chart below.
Nikolaus in the US, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 24 | #4,248 |
| 2024 | 31 | #3,603 |
| 2023 | 15 | #5,922 |
| 2022 | 24 | #4,299 |
| 2021 | 33 | #3,424 |
| 2020 | 21 | #4,536 |
| 2019 | 33 | #3,423 |
| 2018 | 19 | #4,914 |
| 2017 | 27 | #3,885 |
| 2016 | 23 | #4,326 |
| 2015 | 22 | #4,405 |
| 2014 | 47 | #2,580 |
| 2013 | 25 | #3,962 |
| 2012 | 29 | #3,622 |
| 2011 | 28 | #3,694 |
| 2010 | 44 | #2,729 |
| 2009 | 43 | #2,799 |
| 2008 | 48 | #2,582 |
| 2007 | 35 | #3,186 |
| 2006 | 40 | #2,831 |
| 2005 | 52 | #2,261 |
| 2004 | 63 | #1,930 |
| 2003 | 64 | #1,842 |
| 2002 | 54 | #2,015 |
| 2001 | 68 | #1,695 |
| 2000 | 72 | #1,625 |
| 1999 | 75 | #1,500 |
| 1998 | 86 | #1,356 |
| 1997 | 78 | #1,399 |
| 1996 | 80 | #1,345 |
| 1995 | 87 | #1,239 |
| 1994 | 98 | #1,142 |
| 1993 | 66 | #1,426 |
| 1992 | 96 | #1,115 |
| 1991 | 89 | #1,164 |
| 1990 | 75 | #1,273 |
| 1989 | 71 | #1,289 |
| 1988 | 73 | #1,175 |
| 1987 | 67 | #1,174 |
| 1986 | 63 | #1,198 |
| 1985 | 50 | #1,370 |
| 1984 | 51 | #1,293 |
| 1983 | 56 | #1,222 |
| 1982 | 52 | #1,292 |
| 1981 | 64 | #1,143 |
| 1980 | 70 | #1,079 |
| 1979 | 67 | #1,089 |
| 1978 | 47 | #1,326 |
| 1977 | 17 | #2,555 |
| 1976 | 12 | #3,093 |
| 1975 | 10 | #3,426 |
| 1974 | 13 | #2,797 |
| 1973 | 6 | #4,503 |
| 1972 | 9 | #3,342 |
| 1971 | 8 | #3,656 |
| 1970 | 9 | #3,280 |
| 1969 | 7 | #3,594 |
| 1968 | 8 | #3,106 |
| 1967 | 0 | – |
| 1966 | 7 | #3,247 |
| 1965 | 0 | – |
| 1964 | 0 | – |
| 1963 | 0 | – |
| 1962 | 0 | – |
| 1961 | 0 | – |
| 1960 | 0 | – |
| 1959 | 0 | – |
| 1958 | 0 | – |
| 1957 | 0 | – |
| 1956 | 0 | – |
| 1955 | 5 | #3,884 |
Nicknames for Nikolaus
Names like Nikolaus
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
Nicholas Alexis Lucas Cristian Adonis Damian Nico Christian Andres Joshua Noah Alexander
Names related to Nikolaus
More Greek names
Luca Theodore Sophia George Theo Sofia Sebastian Penelope Phoebe Margot Luke Chloe Sophie Zoe Iris Maisie
Sources
Figures from Popular Baby Names (US Social Security Administration). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.
To cite this page: Nameling, “Nikolaus: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/nikolaus, updated 20 October 2026.