What does Nikolai mean?
Nikolai is a Slavic form of Nicholas, “victory of the people.”
What does Vladimir mean?
Vladimir joins the Slavic for “rule” and “peace” or “great,” “famous ruler.”
Nikolai vs Vladimir
Which is more popular?
Nikolai is more popular than Vladimir today: about 469 US babies were given the name Nikolai in 2025, compared with 87 named Vladimir.
| Nikolai | Vladimir | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Victory of the people | Ruler of peace |
| Origin | Slavic | Slavic |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | nee-koh-LY | VLAD-ee-meer |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1960 | 1913 |
| Peak year | 2016 (639) | 2016 (180) |
| In 2025 | 469 | 87 |
| Trend | Rising | Declining |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Nikolai
Vladimir
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Nikolai | Vladimir |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 3,057 | 606 |
| 2010s | 5,060 | 1,583 |
| 2000s | 1,632 | 1,369 |
| 1990s | 733 | 967 |
| 1980s | 291 | 605 |
| 1970s | 202 | 437 |
| 1960s | 52 | 166 |
| 1950s | 0 | 95 |
| 1940s | 0 | 19 |
| 1930s | 0 | 81 |
| 1920s | 0 | 152 |
| 1910s | 0 | 110 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Nikolai or Vladimir more popular?
Nikolai is more popular than Vladimir today: about 469 US babies were given the name Nikolai in 2025, compared with 87 named Vladimir.
What is the difference between Nikolai and Vladimir?
Nikolai means Victory of the people (Slavic origin), while Vladimir means Ruler of peace (Slavic origin).
Which name is older, Nikolai or Vladimir?
In US records, Nikolai first appears in 1960 and Vladimir in 1913, so Vladimir has the longer recorded history.