The name Nicholas comes from the Greek name Nikolaos, which is composed of the Greek elements nike, meaning "victory," and laos, meaning "people." Together, it translates to "victory of the people" or "victorious person." Saint Nicholas was a 4th century bishop who is considered the patron saint of merchants, sailors, prisoners and children. It's also a popular Christmas-inspired name since Santa Claus is based on the legend of Saint Nicholas. As a given name, Nicholas has been featured in the Social Security Administration's top-200 every year since 1900 and was a top-100 boy's name between 1972 and 2022 before falling off in 2023.
