Nicolaus

Nicolaus is the Latin form of the given name Nicholas, derived from the Greek Nikolaos, from Nike meaning “victory” and Laos meaning “people,” together rendered as “victory of the people.” In English and other languages the name has many variants, including Nicholas, Nicolas, Nikolaos, Nikolaus, and Nicola. The form Nicolaus is common in Latin texts and in scholarly or historical contexts.

Historically, Nicolaus appeared across Europe, particularly in medieval and early modern Latin writings. In German-speaking regions the form Nikolaus is common; in English contexts the form Nicholas is standard. Latinized forms such as Nicolaus were frequently used for scholars, clerics, and scientists who wrote in Latin, shaping the English and European historical record with standardized forms of the name.

Notable people named Nicolaus include Nicolaus Copernicus (1473–1543), the Polish-born Renaissance astronomer whose heliocentric model reoriented modern science. Nicolaus Cusanus (Nicolaus Cusanus, 1401–1464), also known as Nikolaus von Kues, was a German cardinal, philosopher, and polymath who contributed to theology, mathematics, and epistemology. Nicolaus of Antioch, an early Christian deacon mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, is traditionally described as a proselyte from Antioch and one of the early church figures cited in the New Testament.