Nikolai Name Meaning

Helen Doanna

By Helen Doanna

Lastest Updated July 9, 2024
Home » Baby Names » Nikolai Name Meaning

Fact: Nikolai became a famous name in Russia in the 19th century and started spreading to many surrounding Slavic countries.

Continue Reading…
A Deep Dive

Nikolai Overview

Meaning

Victory of the people, conqueror

Gender

Boy

Origin

Russian

Etymology

Derived from the Greek name Nikolaos, meaning “victory of the people.”

Religion

Christianity

Pronunciation

/nɪˈkoʊlaɪ/

Popularity

Nikolai is popular in Russia, Bulgaria, and among Russian-speaking communities worldwide. In the USA, Nikolai ranked #606 for boys in 2023.

Syllable

3 syllables

Length

7 letters

Numerology

8 (Practical, Ambitious, Materialistic)

Name Styles

Traditional, Exotic, Mythological

Associated Traits

Strong, intelligent, charismatic, determined

Spiritual, Religious, or Cultural Significance

Associated with St. Nicholas, the patron saint of children and seafarers.

Name Day

December 6th (Finland, Norway)
A Deep Dive

Nikolai Variations in Different Cultures

Popular Variations

Nicholas, Nicola, Nicolas, Nikolas, Niko, Nicolae, Nikolay, Niklas, Niklaus, Nico

Common Nicknames

Niko, Nick, Nik, Nicky, Kole, Lai, Koli, Niks, Koko, Nikky

Diminutives

Niko, Koli, Nikky

Famous People

  • Nikolai Gogol
    (Ukrainian-Russian Novelist)
  • Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
    (Russian Composer)
  • Nikolai Tesla
    (Serbian-American Inventor)
  • Nikolai Bukharin
    (Russian Politician)
  • Nikolai Andrianov
    (Russian Gymnast)

Pop Culture Icons and Works

  • Nikolai
    ("Six of Crows," Novel)
  • Nikolai
    ("Shadow and Bone," Novel)
  • Nikolai Arlovsky
    ("Call of Duty," Video Game Series)
  • Nikolai Dante
    (Comic Series)
  • Nikolai
    ("Metro 2033," Video Game)

Places

  • Nikolai
    (Alaska, USA)
  • Örebro Nikolai Parish
    (Örebro, Sweden)

What Is the Meaning of Nikolai?

Nikolai means “victory of the people” or “conqueror,” highlighting a person who is strong, determined, and capable of achieving great things.

What Is the Origin of The Name Nikolai?

The name Nikolai has its origins in Russia, derived from the Greek name Nikolaos.

Nikolai Name Popularity

Popularity Chart of the Name Nikolai in the U.S. over the Years

United States flagUnited States#4792021#5822022#6062023
Top 3 Rankings#4732018#4742015#4792021

Annual Statistics Breakdown for Nikolai

YearName RankingNumber of BirthsBirth Rate (%)
2023606
(-24 from 2022)
466
(-24 from 2022)
0.02545
2022582
(-103 from 2021)
490
(-132 from 2021)
0.02616
2021479
(+67 from 2020)
622
(+103 from 2020)
0.03320
2020546
(-30 from 2019)
519
(-33 from 2019)
0.02806
2019516
(-43 from 2018)
552
(-60 from 2018)
0.02872
2018473
(+34 from 2017)
612
(+40 from 2017)
0.03149
2017507
(-27 from 2016)
572
(-66 from 2016)
0.02890
2016480
(-6 from 2015)
638
(+9 from 2015)
0.03150
2015474
(+65 from 2014)
629
(+113 from 2014)
0.03077
2014539
(+46 from 2013)
516
(+80 from 2013)
0.02518
2013585
(+16 from 2012)
436
(+15 from 2012)
0.02158
2012601
(+38 from 2011)
421
(+56 from 2011)
0.02075
2011639
(+93 from 2010)
365
(+52 from 2010)
0.01797
2010732
(+28 from 2009)
313
(+14 from 2009)
0.01524
2009760
(+139 from 2008)
299
(+68 from 2008)
0.01410
2008899
(+49 from 2007)
231
(+23 from 2007)
0.01059
2007948
(+133 from 2006)
208
(+45 from 2006)
0.00939
20061081
(-46 from 2005)
163
(+1 from 2005)
0.00743
20051035
(+89 from 2004)
162
(+21 from 2004)
0.00762
20041124
(+66 from 2003)
141
(+17 from 2003)
0.00667
20031190
(+10 from 2002)
124
(+8 from 2002)
0.00590
20021200
(+31 from 2001)
116
(+8 from 2001)
0.00561
20011231
(+273 from 2000)
108
(+28 from 2000)
0.00522
20001504
(-221 from 1999)
80
(-15 from 1999)
0.00383
19991283
(-3 from 1998)
95
(+1 from 1998)
0.00466
19981280
(+143 from 1997)
94
(+18 from 1997)
0.00464
19971423
(-102 from 1996)
76
(-6 from 1996)
0.00380
19961321
(+126 from 1995)
82
(+14 from 1995)
0.00409
19951447
(-107 from 1994)
68
(-8 from 1994)
0.00338
19941340
(+133 from 1993)
76
(+13 from 1993)
0.00373
19931473
(-1 from 1992)
63
(+1 from 1992)
0.00305
19921472
(-61 from 1991)
62
(-3 from 1991)
0.00295
19911411
(+176 from 1990)
65
(+13 from 1990)
0.00307
19901587
(+117 from 1989)
52
(+7 from 1989)
0.00242
19891704
(+144 from 1988)
45
(+9 from 1988)
0.00215
19881848
(+126 from 1987)
36
(+5 from 1987)
0.00180
19871974
(+33 from 1986)
31
(+2 from 1986)
0.00159
19862007
(-173 from 1985)
29
(-3 from 1985)
0.00151
19851834
(+146 from 1984)
32
(+5 from 1984)
0.00166
19841980
(+597 from 1983)
27
(+9 from 1983)
0.00144
19832577
(-238 from 1982)
18
(-3 from 1982)
0.00097
19822339
(-201 from 1981)
21
(-3 from 1981)
0.00111
19812138
(-79 from 1980)
24
(-2 from 1980)
0.00129
19802059
(-156 from 1979)
26
(-2 from 1979)
0.00140
19791903
(+767 from 1978)
28
(+12 from 1978)
0.00156
19782670
(-663 from 1977)
16
(-8 from 1977)
0.00094
19772007
(-361 from 1976)
24
(-8 from 1976)
0.00140
19761646
(-16 from 1975)
32
(+1 from 1975)
0.00196
19751630
(+420 from 1974)
31
(+10 from 1974)
0.00191
19742050
(+807 from 1973)
21
(+9 from 1973)
0.00129
19732857
(-533 from 1972)
12
(-4 from 1972)
0.00074
19722324
(+489 from 1971)
16
(+4 from 1971)
0.00096
19712813
(+258 from 1970)
12
(+2 from 1970)
0.00066
19703071
(-855 from 1969)
10
(-5 from 1969)
0.00052
19692216
(+1729 from 1966)
15
(+10 from 1966)
0.00082
19680
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19670
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19663945
(-963 from 1965)
5
(-3 from 1965)
0.00028
19652982
(+67 from 1964)
8
No change from 1964
0.00042
19643049
(+987 from 1962)
8
(+3 from 1962)
0.00039
19630
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19624036
(+30 from 1961)
5
No change from 1961
0.00024
19614066
(-401 from 1960)
5
(-1 from 1960)
0.00023
19603665
First SSA data recorded
6
First SSA data recorded
0.00028
19590
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19580
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19570
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19560
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19550
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19540
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19530
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19520
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19510
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19500
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19490
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19480
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19470
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19460
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19450
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19440
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19430
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19420
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19410
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19400
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19390
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19380
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19370
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19360
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19350
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19340
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19330
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19320
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19310
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19300
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19290
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19280
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19270
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19260
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19250
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19240
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19230
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19220
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19210
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19200
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19190
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19180
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19170
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19160
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19150
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19140
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19130
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19120
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19110
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19100
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19090
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19080
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19070
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19060
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19050
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19040
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19030
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19020
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19010
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
19000
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
18990
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
18980
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
18970
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
18960
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
18950
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
18940
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
18930
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
18920
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
18910
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
18900
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
18890
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
18880
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
18870
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
18860
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
18850
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
18840
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
18830
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
18820
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
18810
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000
18800
No SSA data
0
No SSA data
0.0000

American States Popularity Rankings for Nikolai

(From the Most to Least Popular, Based on Number of Births )

California (CA)

California (CA) flagCalifornia (CA)#4082021#5242022#4772023

Texas (TX)

Texas (TX) flagTexas (TX)#4772021#5652022#5972023

Florida (FL)

Florida (FL) flagFlorida (FL)#3832021#4502022#4702023

New York (NY)

New York (NY) flagNew York (NY)#4522021#6422022#7812023

Pennsylvania (PA)

Pennsylvania (PA) flagPennsylvania (PA)#4762021#4602022#5762023

Washington (WA)

Washington (WA) flagWashington (WA)#6082021#5982022#4362023

Illinois (IL)

Illinois (IL) flagIllinois (IL)#6742021#5842022#6022023

Ohio (OH)

Ohio (OH) flagOhio (OH)#5252021#6532022#7382023

Michigan (MI)

Michigan (MI) flagMichigan (MI)#5462021#7402022#6302023

Arizona (AZ)

Arizona (AZ) flagArizona (AZ)#3482021#4762022#6182023

North Carolina (NC)

North Carolina (NC) flagNorth Carolina (NC)#4822021#7972022#6622023

Virginia (VA)

Virginia (VA) flagVirginia (VA)#3322021#5372022#4592023

Colorado (CO)

Colorado (CO) flagColorado (CO)#4582021#5012022#5092023

Georgia (GA)

Georgia (GA) flagGeorgia (GA)#7142021#9102022#6382023

Minnesota (MN)

Minnesota (MN) flagMinnesota (MN)#4312021#6392022#6352023

New Jersey (NJ)

New Jersey (NJ) flagNew Jersey (NJ)#5032021#3992022#7362023

Indiana (IN)

Indiana (IN) flagIndiana (IN)#4522021#4302022#5962023

Maryland (MD)

Maryland (MD) flagMaryland (MD)#3952021#4502022#6682023

Utah (UT)

Utah (UT) flagUtah (UT)#5832020#5452021#7232023

Wisconsin (WI)

Wisconsin (WI) flagWisconsin (WI)#5032021#8692022#8722023

Massachusetts (MA)

Massachusetts (MA) flagMassachusetts (MA)#5302021#5382022#6522023

Tennessee (TN)

Tennessee (TN) flagTennessee (TN)#6632021#7382022#7372023

Missouri (MO)

Missouri (MO) flagMissouri (MO)#4612021#7492022#5172023

Oregon (OR)

Oregon (OR) flagOregon (OR)#4622019#6502020#4882021

Nevada (NV)

Nevada (NV) flagNevada (NV)#2742021#3862022#5602023

Oklahoma (OK)

Oklahoma (OK) flagOklahoma (OK)#7582020#6862021#4162023

New Mexico (NM)

New Mexico (NM) flagNew Mexico (NM)#2902019#3652020#3372022

Connecticut (CT)

Connecticut (CT) flagConnecticut (CT)#4362020#4832021#4752023

South Carolina (SC)

South Carolina (SC) flagSouth Carolina (SC)#5862019#4902020#4732022

Kansas (KS)

Kansas (KS) flagKansas (KS)#4332020#6312022#5502023

Louisiana (LA)

Louisiana (LA) flagLouisiana (LA)#7852019#5532020#9022023

Kentucky (KY)

Kentucky (KY) flagKentucky (KY)#7082017#6422021#5782022

Iowa (IA)

Iowa (IA) flagIowa (IA)#3942018#5552021#6382022

Alabama (AL)

Alabama (AL) flagAlabama (AL)#4192018#5912021#7472023

Alaska (AK)

Alaska (AK) flagAlaska (AK)#2482014#2442015#1932018

Hawaii (HI)

Hawaii (HI) flagHawaii (HI)#3302014#2292016#2282018

Arkansas (AR)

Arkansas (AR) flagArkansas (AR)#5382016#6072017#5992020

West Virginia (WV)

West Virginia (WV) flagWest Virginia (WV)#3102016#2552021

Idaho (ID)

Idaho (ID) flagIdaho (ID)#3892018#3322020

Maine (ME)

Maine (ME) flagMaine (ME)#2672015#2562020

South Dakota (SD)

South Dakota (SD) flagSouth Dakota (SD)#2112018

Mississippi (MS)

Mississippi (MS) flagMississippi (MS)#6072015

Popularity Rankings for Nikolai in other Countries and American Territories

(From the Most to Least Popular, Based on Rankings)

Popularity in Estonia

Estonia flagEstonia#61935 and earlier#61946-1950#81951-1955

Popularity in Norway

Norway flagNorway#832021#1032022#992023

Popularity in Austria

Austria flagAustria#1771995#1821998#1742000

Popularity in New Zealand

New Zealand flagNew Zealand#4322019#3632020#2962022

Popularity in Germany

Germany flagGermany#3092021#3662022#3522023

Popularity in Iceland

Iceland flagIceland#3292021

Popularity in Scotland

Scotland flagScotland#4751976#4401993#3752000

Popularity in Poland

Poland flagPoland#4422019#3842021#4462023

Popularity in Sweden

Sweden flagSweden#4062022#5652023

Popularity in Ireland

Ireland flagIreland#4392004#7302011#6092014

Popularity in Canada

Canada flagCanada#6812021#5482022#6892023

Popularity in Quebec, Canada

Quebec, Canada flagQuebec, Canada#8212018#9802021#9442022

Popularity in Switzerland

Switzerland flagSwitzerland#8382018#8392020#8692021

Popularity in England and Wales

England and Wales flagEngland and Wales#8942019

Source: Social Security Administration (SSA) and Other National Sources

Is Nikolai a Name for Boys or Girls?

Nikolai is mainly a boy’s name in Russia, hence why other countries also follow the trend.

Variants, Nicknames, Diminutives, and Ideal Middle Names for Nikolai

Nikolai in Famous People Names, Pop Culture, and Places

  • Nikolai Gogol (Novelist, 1809–1852): A Ukrainian-born Russian writer who founded realism in Russian literature.
  • Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (Composer, 1844–1908): A Russian composer and member of "The Five" who significantly influenced Russian classical music.
  • Nikolai Tesla (Inventor, 1856–1943): A Serbian-American inventor best known for his contributions to the design of the modern alternating current (AC) electrical supply system.
  • Nikolai Bukharin (Politician, 1888–1938): A Soviet politician and revolutionary, active during the Bolshevik Revolution.
  • Nikolai Andrianov (Gymnast, 1952–2011): A Soviet gymnast who won 15 Olympic medals.
  • Nikolai ("Six of Crows," 2015 Novel): A character in Leigh Bardugo's fantasy novel who is a former king and skilled soldier.
  • Nikolai ("Shadow and Bone," 2012 Novel): A daring privateer and prince in Leigh Bardugo's Grishaverse series.
  • Nikolai Arlovsky ("Call of Duty," Video Game Series): A loyal and resourceful Russian pilot who assists the main characters.
  • Nikolai Dante (Comic Series, 1997-2012): A swashbuckling anti-hero in the British science fiction comic series published in 2000 AD.
  • Nikolai ("Metro 2033," 2010 Video Game): A character in the post-apocalyptic game based on Dmitry Glukhovsky's novel.
  • Nikolai (Alaska, USA): A small city in the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, known for its remote location and indigenous cultural heritage.
  • Örebro Nikolai Parish (Örebro, Sweden): A historic parish in the center of Örebro, named for Saint Nikolai, with roots dating back to the 1200s.

Similar Names to Nikolai

Sibling Names for Nikolai

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Remember to share the name Nikolai with close ones around, hinting that your lovely family is expecting a little prince. Also, you can leave opinions in the comment to share your experience.
Helen Doanna

Helen Doanna

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2. University of Social Science and Humanity, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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