Nicolaas

Nicolaas is the Dutch variant of the name Nikolaus. This first name carries the meaning 'victory of the people' and has its origins in the Greek name Nikolaos, which is composed of the Ancient Greek words nike for 'victory' and laos for 'people'.

What does the name Nicolaas mean?

The name Nicolaas represents the Dutch form of Nikolaus. Its meaning is 'victory of the people' and traces back to the Greek name Nikolaos, which is composed of the Ancient Greek terms nike for 'victory' and laos for 'people'. The Dutch variants include Nikolaas and Niklaas, as well as the short forms Claas and Klaas.

Where does the name Nicolaas come from?

The origin of the name Nicolaas lies in Ancient Greek, where it is understood as a masculine first name meaning 'victory of the people'. The Ancient Greek words consist of nike = victory and laos = people. The name is common in the Dutch and Netherlandic languages.

How do you pronounce Nicolaas?

The pronunciation of Nicolaas is melodic and has a three- to four-syllable structure. It is pronounced as 'Ni-co-laas' [nikoˈlaːs], with the elongated A in the last syllable providing a rich sound. The clearly separated syllables create a calm, even rhythm. Thus, Nicolaas appears traditional, harmonious, and sonorous – gentle in flow and clear at the end.

When is the name day of Nicolaas?

The most important name day for Nicolaas falls on December 6, when Saint Nicholas of Myra is celebrated (St. Nicholas Day).

Popularity

In Germany, Nicolaas is a rather rare first name. Currently, it ranks 5,840th on the list of the most common male first names. Its best placement was in 2010, when it reached 2,204th place. In the last ten years, Nicolaas has been given as a first name fewer than 10 times, which places it 7,203rd in the ten-year statistics. Between 2010 and 2024, it ranks 5,162nd.

Nicknames & pet names

Nici / Nico

Similar first names

Famous people

• Dirk Nicolaas Advocaat (footballer from the Netherlands)
• Hendrik Nicolaas Werkman (artist from the Netherlands)
• Jan Pieter Nicolaas Land (Dutch philosopher)
• Matthijs Nicolaas Röling (Dutch painter)
• Nicolaas Adrianus Rupke (Irish historian)
• Nicolaas Bastert (Dutch painter)
• Nicolaas Baur (painter from the Netherlands)
• Nicolaas Bidloo (Dutch physicist)
• Nicolaas Christiaan Kist (theologian from the Netherlands)
• Nicolaas Godfried van Kampen (Dutch historian)
• Nicolaas Govert de Bruijn (Dutch mathematician)
• Nicolaas Hartsoeker (Dutch mathematician)
• Nicolaas Henneman (Dutch photographer)
• Nicolaas Herman Ridderbos (Dutch theologian)
• Nicolaas Hoogvliet (Dutch theologian)
• Nicolaas I van Eyck (painter from Belgium)
• Nicolaas Kuiper (Dutch mathematician)
• Nicolaas Laurens Burman (Dutch botanist)
• Nicolaas Marinus Hugenholtz (Dutch physicist)
• Nicolaas Matsier (Dutch writer)