Given name & surname
Nicholai
“of the victorious people”
Nicholai is a variant of Nicholas. One Greek interpretation is “of the victorious people.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Nicholai is a variant of Nicholas. One Greek interpretation is “of the victorious people.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Nicholai is a variant of Nicholas. An origin associated with Nicholas is Dutch.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1962. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Nicholai is a variant of Nicholas. The history of Nicholas gives this family its wider story. Nicholas’s Christian associations include Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century bishop of Myra in Lycia, about whom virtually nothing factual is known.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Nicholai through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,024
- 1,024 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2010
- 51 babies
- 2025
- 12
- #7,075 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −58%
- Cooling
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 12 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 7,075 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 58.3% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 883 as a first name in 2020; 190 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Nicholai’s family of names
Nicholai has a related form in Nicholas.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Similar names
If you love Nicholai, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Nikolai
“of the victorious people”
>99% boys
Nikkos
“of the victorious people”
>99% boys
Niko
“of the victorious people”
98% boys · 2% girls
Nekoda
85% boys · 15% girls
Joran
“one who works the earth; a farmer” · “jehovah is exalted”
>99% boys
Nyshaun
>99% boys
Navin
“a pleasant, lovely woman” · “one who is strong-willed”
>99% boys
Izayiah
>99% boys