US Popularity Rank: 185

Origin: Greek

Meaning: people of victory

Nicholas gets its winning vibes from Nike, the Greek goddess of victory. It also carries a Christmas vibe, thanks to the popularity of Saint Nick, best remembered for delivering gifts to children all over the world. As saints go, Nicholas is busy and pretty booked—he also is the patron saint of Greece, Russia, children, and sailors. Once a czar’s name in Russia and a biblical name in the New Testament, Nicholas made the top 10 from 1993 to 2002. Nicknames for Nicholas include Nick, Nicky, and Cole.