Nikola
(source: State Statistical Office, 2025)
14,665
14,665 people in North Macedonia carry this name
Meaning
The name Nikola comes from the Greek name Νικόλαος, formed from νίκη, meaning “victory,” and λαός, meaning “people.” In the provided data, its meaning is explained as “victory of the people” or “victory for the people,” while one interpretation gives it as “the people win.” It is also noted that the name came through the Latin form Nicolaus, though its original source is the Greek Nikolaos.
The name has a strong Christian background through Saint Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia and wonderworker, who is connected in the provided data with the period around the year 345. Saint Nicholas is also described as a 4th-century bishop from Anatolia. According to legend, he saved the daughters of a poor man from lives of prostitution. He is mentioned as the patron saint of children, sailors, and merchants, as well as Greece and Russia.
Because of the saint’s renown, the name Nikola became widely used throughout the Christian world. The provided sources note that the name appears in different forms across several languages, and that in Czech and Slovak Nikola can also be a feminine name. Nikola Tesla is mentioned as a famous bearer of the name.