What does Damian mean?
Damian comes from the Greek for “to tame” or “subdue.”
What does Nikolas mean?
Nikolas means “victory of the people,” the Greek root of Nicholas.
Damian vs Nikolas
Which is more popular?
Damian is more popular than Nikolas today: about 3,213 US babies were given the name Damian in 2025, compared with 375 named Nikolas.
| Damian | Nikolas | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | To tame, subdue | Victory of the people |
| Origin | Greek | Greek |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | DAY-mee-un | NIK-oh-lus |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1912 | 1937 |
| Peak year | 2013 (3,976) | 2004 (1,060) |
| In 2025 | 3,213 | 375 |
| Trend | Steady | Declining |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Damian
Nikolas
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Damian | Nikolas |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 19,855 | 2,564 |
| 2010s | 35,284 | 5,133 |
| 2000s | 26,034 | 7,812 |
| 1990s | 12,688 | 5,946 |
| 1980s | 5,719 | 1,955 |
| 1970s | 7,282 | 502 |
| 1960s | 1,865 | 107 |
| 1950s | 700 | 5 |
| 1940s | 231 | 5 |
| 1930s | 126 | 6 |
| 1920s | 91 | 0 |
| 1910s | 45 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Damian or Nikolas more popular?
Damian is more popular than Nikolas today: about 3,213 US babies were given the name Damian in 2025, compared with 375 named Nikolas.
What is the difference between Damian and Nikolas?
Damian means To tame, subdue (Greek origin), while Nikolas means Victory of the people (Greek origin).
Which name is older, Damian or Nikolas?
In US records, Damian first appears in 1912 and Nikolas in 1937, so Damian has the longer recorded history.