Niklaus

Niklaus - A very unique male name

Niklaus appeared on the charts for the first time in 2013 on position #3626. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Niklaus and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Niklaus? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Niklaus. The baby boy name Niklaus was given to 70 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1490 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 20,947 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Niklaus peaked in popularity 6 years ago in 2020 on position 881.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Niklaus, 1-5?

Niklaus is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Niklaus is currently topping the baby name charts in Missouri at position #960 - and is the least popular in California at position #1,942.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Niklaus is where you live.

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Niklaus origin and meaning

German and Scandinavian form of Nikolaus (Greek)

Victory of the people — a form of Nicholas, from Greek nike, 'victory,' and laos, 'people'

Niklaus is the German and Scandinavian form of Nikolaus, the name behind Nicholas and Saint Nicholas. Its recent American appearance, from 2013 with a peak in 2021, tracks the vampire Niklaus Mikaelson of The Vampire Diaries and The Originals rather than older European use.

Attested etymology

Niklaus is a 7 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Niklaus, pop culture references for the name Niklaus and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Niklaus

We've found the following names that sound similar to Niklaus, sorted by popularity.

Nicholas / Nicolas / Nickolas / Nikolas / Nicklaus / Nicholaus / Nikolaus / Nicklas / Nikolaos / Niklas /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Niklaus

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Niklaus a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Niklaus?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

NIK-lows · /ˈnɪklaʊs/
German speakers use an 'ow' ending; some American families say nik-LAWS.

Around the world

• Nikolaus (German) — The fuller German form.
• Niklas (Finnish) — A related Scandinavian form.

Spellings and nicknames

• Nikolaus — The fuller German spelling.
• Niklas — Scandinavian form — a separate entry.
• Nicklaus — Respelling familiar from golfer Jack Nicklaus's surname.

Nicknames: NikKlaus

Famous bearers

• Niklaus Wirth — Swiss computer scientist who designed the Pascal programming language (1934–2024) Contemporary
• Niklaus Mikaelson — Original vampire-werewolf hybrid in The Vampire Diaries and star of The Originals (Fictional, 2009) Fictional

Style

InternationalClassic

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Niklaus for a European, slightly dark-romantic take on Nicholas, sharpened by its television vampire association.

Worth knowing

• Many people will assume Nicholas or the Nicklaus spelling, and fans will immediately connect it to Klaus Mikaelson.