Nicolae is a Romanian male given name, derived from the Latin 'Nicolaus', which means 'victory of the people'. It was introduced into Romania through Byzantine influence and has been widely used since the Middle Ages. Nicolae is one of the most popular names in Romania, often ranking among the top five names for newborn boys. The name is also found in other Eastern European countries, such as Moldova and Serbia.
The name Nicolae has seen fluctuating popularity over the past two decades, with a peak of 18 births in 2010 and a recent low of 5 births in both 2022 and 2023.