Origin of the name Nicholas:
From the Latin Nicolaus, a derivative of the Greek Nikolaos (victory of the people), a compound name composed of the elements nikē (victory) and laos (the people). The name was borne by St. Nicholas, a 4th-century bishop of Myra who is regarded as the patron saint of Russia and Greece, and of children, sailors, and wolves.
From A World of Baby Names by Teresa Norman. Buy the bookDoes Nicolai sound...
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Reader Contributions
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- Comments and insights on the name Nicolai: | Edit
I love this name. It is common in Europe and Russia, although the spellings Nikolai and Nikolay are used more often. It is a beautiful twist on Nicholas and the i ending makes it quite unique in the age of boy names ending in -n.
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Nicolai Gedda, tenor
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NameVoyager US Popularity of Nicolai Over Time
NameMapper Current Popularity of Nicolai by State
Global Popularity of the Name Nicolai
- #86 in Norway
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