What does Dimitri mean?
Dimitri honours Demeter, the Greek goddess of the harvest and earth.
What does Nikolas mean?
Nikolas means “victory of the people,” the Greek root of Nicholas.
Dimitri vs Nikolas
Which is more popular?
Nikolas is more popular than Dimitri today: about 375 US babies were given the name Nikolas in 2025, compared with 195 named Dimitri.
| Dimitri | Nikolas | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Follower of Demeter | Victory of the people |
| Origin | Greek | Greek |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | dih-MEE-tree | NIK-oh-lus |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1917 | 1937 |
| Peak year | 1992 (401) | 2004 (1,060) |
| In 2025 | 195 | 375 |
| Trend | Steady | Declining |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Dimitri
Nikolas
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Dimitri | Nikolas |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 1,248 | 2,564 |
| 2010s | 2,111 | 5,133 |
| 2000s | 1,985 | 7,812 |
| 1990s | 2,506 | 5,946 |
| 1980s | 679 | 1,955 |
| 1970s | 457 | 502 |
| 1960s | 321 | 107 |
| 1950s | 147 | 5 |
| 1940s | 72 | 5 |
| 1930s | 38 | 6 |
| 1920s | 18 | 0 |
| 1910s | 12 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Dimitri or Nikolas more popular?
Nikolas is more popular than Dimitri today: about 375 US babies were given the name Nikolas in 2025, compared with 195 named Dimitri.
What is the difference between Dimitri and Nikolas?
Dimitri means Follower of Demeter (Greek origin), while Nikolas means Victory of the people (Greek origin).
Which name is older, Dimitri or Nikolas?
In US records, Dimitri first appears in 1917 and Nikolas in 1937, so Dimitri has the longer recorded history.