What does Nikolas mean?
Nikolas means “victory of the people,” the Greek root of Nicholas.
What does Orion mean?
Orion is the great hunter of Greek myth, set among the stars as a constellation.
Nikolas vs Orion
Which is more popular?
Orion is more popular than Nikolas today: about 1,012 US babies were given the name Orion in 2025, compared with 375 named Nikolas.
| Nikolas | Orion | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Victory of the people | Hunter |
| Origin | Greek | Greek |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | NIK-oh-lus | oh-RY-un |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1937 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2004 (1,060) | 2018 (1,152) |
| In 2025 | 375 | 1,012 |
| Trend | Declining | Near its peak |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Nikolas
Orion
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Nikolas | Orion |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 2,564 | 6,039 |
| 2010s | 5,133 | 8,595 |
| 2000s | 7,812 | 4,367 |
| 1990s | 5,946 | 1,852 |
| 1980s | 1,955 | 733 |
| 1970s | 502 | 500 |
| 1960s | 107 | 82 |
| 1950s | 5 | 84 |
| 1940s | 5 | 121 |
| 1930s | 6 | 154 |
| 1920s | 0 | 281 |
| 1910s | 0 | 192 |
| 1900s | 0 | 37 |
| 1890s | 0 | 49 |
| 1880s | 0 | 34 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Nikolas or Orion more popular?
Orion is more popular than Nikolas today: about 1,012 US babies were given the name Orion in 2025, compared with 375 named Nikolas.
What is the difference between Nikolas and Orion?
Nikolas means Victory of the people (Greek origin), while Orion means Hunter (Greek origin).
Which name is older, Nikolas or Orion?
In US records, Nikolas first appears in 1937 and Orion in 1880, so Orion has the longer recorded history.