Discover and Shortlist Your Perfect Baby Names!

Nikolaj as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Nikolaj

Add to my Name List

The baby name Nikolaj is a Male name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈnɪkəlaɪ/ (NIK-ə-LIE).

Nikolaj is Greek in Origin.

Gender: Male
Syllables: 3.0
Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: /ˈnɪkəlaɪ/ (NIK-ə-LIE)

What is the meaning of the name Nikolaj ?

The baby name Nikolaj is a Male name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈnɪkəlaɪ/ (NIK-ə-LIE).

Nikolaj is Greek in Origin.

Nikolaj is the Danish and South Slavic spelling of a pan-European name from Greek Nikolaos (nike "victory" + laos "people"), meaning "victory of the people." Common cognates and spellings include Nikolai/Nikolay (Russian, Bulgarian), Nikola (Serbian, Croatian), Mykola (Ukrainian), Mikołaj (Polish), Nicolas/Nicola (French/Italian), Nicholas (English), Nikolaus (German), Niklas (Swedish), Nikolajs (Latvian), and Nikolajus (Lithuanian). Diminutives and short forms include Niko, Nik, and Kolja/Kolya.

The name spread widely through veneration of Saint Nicholas of Myra and, later, Saint Nicholas of Bari, embedding itself in both Eastern Orthodox and Western European calendars. In Denmark, Nikolaj became especially fashionable from the 1980s onward and remains familiar; in Slovenia and Croatia it coexists with Nikola and international Nick-forms. The name often evokes winter gift-bringer folklore (Sankt/Sv. Nikolaj). Nikolaj balances classic Christian heritage with a contemporary, pan-European vibe.

Nikolaj has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Nikolaj

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau Actor · Born 1970 · Kingdom of Denmark Nikolaj Coster-Waldau is a Danish actor best known for his role as Jaime Lannister in the television series Game of Thrones. Born in 1970 in the Kingdom of Denmark, he has also appeared in films like Oblivion and The Other Woman. Nikolaj Frederik Severin Grundtvig Politician · Born 1783 · Kingdom of Denmark Nikolaj Frederik Severin Grundtvig was a Danish politician and theologian, most famous for his influence on education and the church in Denmark. He played a key role in the development of the folk high school movement and contributed significantly to Danish hymnody. His works include the hymn 'The Sun Rises Now' and his ideas helped shape modern Danish identity. Nikolaj Lie Kaas Actor · Born 1973 · Kingdom of Denmark Nikolaj Lie Kaas is a Danish actor best known for his roles in the films 'The Idiots' and 'The Green Butchers'. Born in 1973 in the Kingdom of Denmark, he has become a prominent figure in Danish cinema. He also starred in the popular TV series 'The Killing'.
Nikolaj Koppel Musician · Born 1969 · Kingdom of Denmark Nikolaj Koppel is best known in Denmark as a musician and radio presenter. Born on 6 March 1969, he has also worked as a journalist.

Nikolaj – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Boys 2020 #1 780
DK Boys 0 #57 940 7,401
SI 0 #80 1 1,612
LT Boys 0 #83 94 2,166
LT 0 #86 3 949
DK 0 #90 145 5,198
EE Boys 0 #122 4 2,087
Switzerland Boys 2024 #130 8 1,769
CY Boys 0 #131 1 3,473
RS Boys 0 #153 2 2,277
Sweden Boys 2022 #165 18 1,509
HU Boys 0 #173 2 3,954
CZ 0 #184 3 3,154
RU 0 #191 4 3,641
BG Boys 0 #197 23 3,850
SI Boys 0 #200 10 3,402
LU Boys 0 #219 2 4,970
IR 0 #227 5 4,221
HR Boys 0 #254 6 3,997
CZ Boys 0 #261 44 6,530
GR Boys 0 #273 1 6,912
KZ Boys 0 #277 13 6,578
SG 0 #282 1 11,010
AL Boys 0 #303 1 5,122
Canada Boys 2021 #311 5 2,600
PL Boys 0 #324 12 6,459
DK Girls 0 #328 2 7,429
RU Boys 0 #330 183 12,621
CN Boys 0 #331 1 9,639
Austria Boys 0 #424 19 2,180
IR Boys 0 #503 50 10,162
PA Boys 0 #505 1 9,305
CO 0 #509 2 7,768
CR Boys 0 #510 1 10,188
RU Girls 0 #523 1 11,913
IR Girls 0 #545 1 8,334
PS Boys 0 #555 7 10,655
HK Boys 0 #557 1 12,905
IL Boys 0 #617 9 10,983
Finland Boys 2026 #652 31 3,552
IT 0 #705 10 4,183
SG Boys 0 #738 2 17,960
QA Boys 0 #742 2 18,093
Germany Boys 0 #754 199 5,697
United States Boys 2024 #885 8 7,044
NL Boys 0 #912 40 5,873
NG Boys 0 #1,001 1 16,906
AE Boys 0 #1,142 2 22,615
MA 0 #1,198 2 20,986
IT Boys 0 #1,398 74 10,046

Nikolaj is popular in 38 countries — most recent births per country:

Switzerland
Sweden
United States
Canada
Ireland

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Nikolaj

Nikolaj is predominantly a boy's name.
Nikolaj is a 3 syllable name, pronounced /ˈnɪkəlaɪ/ (NIK-ə-LIE).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Nikolai, Nikolay, Nikola, Nikolas, Niko and Nikołaj.
Yes, very popular — Nikolaj ranked #1 in Ireland in 2020, and appears in official birth registries across 6 countries.
Nikolaj ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2020).
Nikolaj's popularity is rising significantly. It moved from #142 in 2014 to #130 in 2024 in Switzerland.
Yes — 4 notable people named Nikolaj are in our database, including Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Actor), Nikolaj Frederik Severin Grundtvig (Politician), Nikolaj Lie Kaas (Actor).