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Nicholas

Nicholas is a Greek name traditionally understood as victory of the people.

Nicholas has a biblical connection through Nicolas in Acts 6 and a separate, prominent Christian heritage through Saint Nicholas of Myra.

Browse names
OriginGreek
GenderBoy
FeelClassic
PronunciationNIK-uh-lus

Is Nicholas biblical?

As a variant of a biblical name

Biblical status Biblical form or variant

Nicholas is a form of the Greek name borne by Nicolas in Acts 6:5; the KJV passage uses Nicolas without an h.

FromNicolas

Is Nicholas a Christian name?

Yes

Christian tradition Saint or church-history heritage

Saint Nicholas of Myra gives the name a major Christian heritage, especially in Catholic and Orthodox tradition.

Plain answer

Nicholas connects with the biblical form Nicolas and has a separate Christian saint heritage through Nicholas of Myra.

Confidence High Last reviewed September 17, 2026 How this works

Meaning

The meaning of Nicholas

Nicholas comes from Greek Nikolaos, combining elements for victory and people. Victory of the people is the familiar short explanation; older lexical glosses also use wording such as victorious over the people. The meaning does not literally refer to giving presents, children, or Christmas. Those associations developed through the traditions surrounding Saint Nicholas. The name also shares victory imagery with Nicodemus, although the second Greek element differs. Nicholas and Nicodemus are therefore related in meaning without being interchangeable spellings of the same name.

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If you love Nicholas

NicodemusBoth are Greek names involving victory and people, but Nicodemus is a distinct name and a different biblical person.StephenStephen and Nicolas are both among the seven chosen in Acts 6. This links Nicholas's biblical form with Stephen's story.FrancisBoth names carry Christian saint associations with care for people in need, through different historical figures.

Acts 6

The biblical connection is through Nicolas

Acts 6 names Nicolas among seven men chosen when a dispute arises over the daily distribution to widows. The King James Version describes him as a proselyte of Antioch, meaning a convert to Judaism from that city. He is selected alongside Stephen, Philip, and four others for a practical responsibility within the early Christian community.

Nicholas is an established form of the same Greek name, while Nicolas is the spelling in this passage. That makes the biblical connection real, but it needs the spelling explained. The brief account does not give Nicolas a long personal biography, and it does not identify him as the later bishop of Myra.

Saints' name

Saint Nicholas of Myra is a different person

The saint most closely associated with the name is remembered as a bishop of Myra in Lycia, in what is now Turkey. He belongs to a later period than the New Testament. His memory is especially prominent in Catholic and Orthodox Christian tradition, where accounts of his generosity and protection of vulnerable people have shaped devotion to him.

The historical details of his life are limited. Church accounts preserve stories about his actions, but those stories should be identified as traditions rather than treated as a complete contemporary biography. This allows the name's religious heritage to be described respectfully without pretending that every familiar episode has the same kind of evidence.

Generosity

The story of the three daughters

A well-known tradition tells of Nicholas secretly providing money for a poor man's three daughters. In the account, the gifts help protect their future, and Nicholas tries to avoid public recognition. Vatican News and Orthodox accounts both preserve versions of this story.

For someone choosing the name, its appeal can lie in the pattern of care the story expresses: noticing another person's need and helping without seeking attention. That is an association with the saint's remembered example. It is not the literal meaning of Nicholas, which remains connected with victory and people.

Myra and Bari

Why the saint is also called Nicholas of Bari

Myra and Bari are two places connected with the same saint's memory. Myra is the city associated with his bishopric. Bari, in southern Italy, became a major center of devotion after relics attributed to him were brought there in 1087. The titles do not require two separate saints called Nicholas.

The wider gift-giving tradition associated with Saint Nicholas also helped shape the later Santa Claus figure. The relationship is part of cultural history, but a family using Nicholas as a saint's name may have the bishop and his religious memory in mind rather than the modern Christmas character.

Sound

How to pronounce Nicholas

Phonetic
NIK-uh-lus
IPA
/ˈnɪk.ə.ləs/

3 syllables · stress: NIK-uh-lus · ends in a consonant

Forms

Variants and nicknames

Alternate spellings

  • Nicolas
  • Nikolaos
  • Nicolás
  • Nicola

Short forms and nicknames

  • Nick

Languages

Nicholas in other languages

Greek
ΝικόλαοςNikolaosThe Greek name behind English Nicholas and the Nicolas of Acts.
Spanish
NicolásThe Spanish form used in accounts of Saint Nicholas.
Italian
NicolaThe masculine Italian form, as in San Nicola di Bari.

Christian background

Christian and biblical background

Nicholas offers two distinct Christian reference points: a name form connected with the early community in Acts and a major saint tradition centered on Myra. Families may care about one or both. If the intention is to honor Saint Nicholas, naming him specifically makes that choice clear; if the attraction is a biblical name, the Nicolas spelling explains the relevant passage. Neither person should be confused with Nicodemus, who appears in John's Gospel. This is a useful example of why biblical names and Christian names overlap without meaning exactly the same thing.

Bearers

Notable people named Nicholas

  • biblical

    Nicolas of AntiochOne of the seven chosen in Acts 6; the KJV uses the spelling Nicolas

  • historical

    Saint Nicholas of MyraThe bishop remembered in Catholic and Orthodox tradition and also known as Nicholas of Bari

Naming history

Naming tradition and history

Nicholas has several established written forms. Nicolas leaves out the h, Greek Nikolaos retains the Greek ending, and Spanish Nicolás marks its stress with an accent. The Italian masculine form Nicola can be useful to recognize when reading about the saint in Bari. These forms do not all follow the English pronunciation NIK-uh-lus. Nick is a short form for families who want a more compact everyday name. Choosing a particular spelling may reflect a family language, a relative, or the form used in a religious community.

Sibling fit

Sibling name suggestions

For families

For families looking at Nicholas

Nicholas may suit parents who want a three-syllable name with both a full form and a short everyday option. Its saint association supplies a clear story of generosity, while its Greek meaning offers a separate explanation of the word itself. Try both Nicholas and Nick with the surname if both are likely to be used. When choosing between Nicholas and Nicolas, the question is often which spelling best fits the family's language and expectations. The h in Nicholas does not make it more Christian, and the shorter spelling does not remove the saint association.

Common questions

What does Nicholas mean?

Nicholas comes from Greek elements for victory and people, commonly rendered victory of the people. Its gift-giving associations come from Saint Nicholas rather than the name's literal meaning.

Is Nicholas in the Bible?

The related form Nicolas appears in Acts 6:5 in the King James Version. Nicholas belongs to the same Greek name family, with a different English spelling.

Is Nicolas in Acts the same as Saint Nicholas?

No. Nicolas belongs to the New Testament community. Saint Nicholas of Myra is a bishop from a later period of Christian history.

Are Nicholas of Myra and Nicholas of Bari the same saint?

Yes. Myra refers to his bishopric; Bari became associated with him through the arrival of relics attributed to him and the devotion that developed there.

What is a short form of Nicholas?

Nick is an established short form. Families can use Nicholas in full or choose an everyday form that suits them.

Sources

Sources for Nicholas

Last reviewed September 17, 2026. See our methodology, or report an error on the corrections page.