Nicolas Boy

Popularity: #175 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: NIK-oh-luhs /ˈnɪk.ə.ləs/

Origin: Greek; Latin; French

Meaning: Victory of the people (Greek); people's victory (Latin)

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Nicolas has its roots in the Greek name Νικόλαος (Nikolaos), which is composed of the elements ‘nike’ meaning ‘victory’ and ‘laos’ meaning ‘people’. This etymological foundation conveys the meaning ‘victory of the people’.

The name was adopted into Latin as Nicolaus and subsequently made its way into Old French as Nicolas before entering the English language. The transition through these languages reflects the broader historical movements of culture and language in Europe, particularly during the Middle Ages when Greek and Latin were prominent in scholarly and religious contexts.

Historically, the name Nicolas is most famously associated with Saint Nicholas of Myra, a 4th-century bishop known for his generosity and later became the inspiration for the modern figure of Santa Claus. His feast day is celebrated on December 6, and he is recognized as the patron saint of children, sailors, and merchants, among others.

The veneration of Saint Nicholas spread throughout Europe, particularly during the medieval period, leading to the establishment of numerous churches and institutions in his honor. The name gained further prominence through various translations of the Bible and religious texts, where it appeared in Latin and later in vernacular languages.

Culturally, Nicolas has been associated with themes of generosity, kindness, and protection, which resonate deeply in various traditions. The name has been borne by numerous historical figures, including kings and scholars, contributing to its enduring legacy.

Variants of the name, such as Nick or Nico, have also emerged, reflecting the name's adaptability across different cultures and languages. The historical significance of Nicolas, particularly through its association with Saint Nicholas, has ensured its continued relevance in various cultural contexts.

Famous people named Nicolas

In this section, you will find notable people named Nicolas. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Nicolas who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Nicolas who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Nicolas Cage is an actor best known for Leaving Las Vegas, National Treasure, and Adaptation.

Nicolas Sarkozy is a former U.S. President best known for his leadership during the financial crisis, the G20 summit, and his economic reforms.

Nicolas Roeg is a director best known for The Man Who Fell to Earth, Don't Look Now, and Performance.

Nicolas Jaar is a musician and producer best known for Space Is Only Noise, Pomegranates, and his work with Darkside.

Nicolas Winding Refn is a director best known for Drive, Only God Forgives, and The Neon Demon.

Nicolas Ghesquière is a fashion designer best known for his work with Balenciaga and Louis Vuitton.

Fictional characters named Nicolas

The following list of fictional characters named Nicolas is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Nicolas is a fictional character from the film The Sorcerer's Apprentice. He is a young apprentice who learns the ways of magic under the tutelage of a powerful sorcerer.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Nicolas, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

NathanNoahNinaNatalieNadiaNicolette

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Nicolas. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

NikolaiNicoNicholasNikitaNilesNolanNashNate

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Nicolas was first seen in the United States in 1882.

Nicolas has ranked as high as #247 nationally, which occurred in 2003, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Florida, New York, and Illinois.

In the past 5 years the name Nicolas has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Nicolas is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Nicolas was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Nicolas.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 2,053 2,053 0
2024 1,997 1,997 0
2023 1,901 1,901 0
2022 1,989 1,989 0
2021 2,009 2,009 0
2020 1,894 1,894 0
2019 2,145 2,145 0
2018 2,098 2,098 0
2017 1,924 1,919 5
2016 2,085 2,085 0
2015 1,998 1,998 0
2014 2,077 2,077 0
2013 2,129 2,129 0
2012 2,131 2,131 0
2011 2,242 2,242 0
2010 2,392 2,392 0
2009 2,491 2,491 0
2008 2,683 2,683 0
2007 2,839 2,833 6
2006 2,944 2,939 5
2005 2,966 2,966 0
2004 2,880 2,872 8
2003 3,012 3,003 9
2002 2,810 2,810 0
2001 2,833 2,824 9
2000 2,851 2,846 5
1999 2,763 2,763 0
1998 2,920 2,920 0
1997 2,435 2,430 5
1996 2,298 2,298 0
1995 2,013 2,006 7
1994 1,953 1,953 0
1993 1,824 1,819 5
1992 1,808 1,798 10
1991 1,599 1,589 10
1990 1,649 1,643 6
1989 1,538 1,530 8
1988 1,218 1,204 14
1987 1,030 1,020 10
1986 981 974 7
1985 1,012 1,001 11
1984 967 959 8
1983 953 944 9
1982 893 893 0
1981 896 896 0
1980 857 847 10
1979 912 905 7
1978 799 799 0
1977 436 436 0
1976 307 307 0
1975 309 309 0
1974 226 226 0
1973 250 250 0
1972 205 205 0
1971 212 212 0
1970 221 221 0
1969 179 179 0
1968 169 169 0
1967 172 172 0
1966 123 123 0
1965 139 139 0
1964 130 130 0
1963 120 120 0
1962 114 114 0
1961 108 108 0
1960 134 134 0
1959 122 122 0
1958 111 111 0
1957 100 100 0
1956 102 102 0
1955 90 90 0
1954 106 106 0
1953 102 102 0
1952 104 104 0
1951 111 111 0
1950 93 93 0
1949 95 95 0
1948 66 66 0
1947 88 88 0
1946 79 79 0
1945 69 69 0
1944 61 61 0
1943 62 62 0
1942 58 58 0
1941 56 56 0
1940 60 60 0
1939 34 34 0
1938 54 54 0
1937 55 55 0
1936 46 46 0
1935 57 57 0
1934 57 57 0
1933 49 49 0
1932 74 69 5
1931 70 70 0
1930 76 76 0
1929 79 79 0
1928 78 78 0
1927 65 65 0
1926 61 61 0
1925 83 83 0
1924 96 96 0
1923 69 69 0
1922 74 74 0
1921 74 74 0
1920 70 70 0
1919 54 54 0
1918 45 45 0
1917 64 64 0
1916 27 27 0
1915 57 57 0
1914 43 43 0
1913 32 32 0
1912 22 22 0
1911 9 9 0
1910 14 14 0
1909 12 12 0
1908 12 12 0
1907 6 6 0
1905 7 7 0
1904 9 9 0
1900 5 5 0
1898 6 6 0
1896 6 6 0
1894 7 7 0
1889 5 5 0
1886 7 7 0
1885 9 9 0
1882 5 5 0

Top States for Nicolas (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 407
21%
TX 399
20%
FL 166
8%
NY 122
6%
IL 96
5%
NJ 77
4%
GA 59
3%
AZ 54
3%
NC 46
2%
MA 45
2%
PA 38
2%
VA 33
2%
CT 33
2%
MD 32
2%
WA 29
1%
CO 28
1%
MI 22
1%
TN 21
1%
SC 20
1%
UT 19
1%
OH 16
1%
IN 16
1%
NV 16
1%
OK 14
1%
KS 14
1%
WI 14
1%
AR 13
1%
OR 13
1%
AL 13
1%
MN 12
1%
MO 12
1%
ID 11
1%
DC 10
1%
IA 9
0%
NM 9
0%
RI 8
0%
KY 7
0%
LA 6
0%
HI 6
0%
NE 5
0%
NH 5
0%