Nickolaus is a traditional German given name, derived from the Greek Nikolaos, which means 'victory of the people'. It was popularized by Saint Nicholas, also known as Santa Claus, who was a historical figure and the patron saint of children among other groups. The name has been used in Germany since at least the Middle Ages and has since spread to other parts of Europe, North America, and beyond. In some cultures, Nickolaus is celebrated annually on December 6th during Saint Nicholas Day festivities.
The name Nickolaus experienced significant popularity fluctuations over the years. It peaked dramatically from 3 to 25 births annually between 1976 and 1977, then maintained a high level of around 50-70 births per year until the mid-1990s. After 1998, its popularity declined steadily, with fewer than 50 births per year, reaching as low as 7 births in 2016. Overall, there were 1795 recorded births named Nickolaus from 1921 to 2019.