What does Nikolas mean?
Nikolas means “victory of the people,” the Greek root of Nicholas.
What does Xander mean?
Xander is a short form of Alexander, “defender of the people.”
Nikolas vs Xander
Which is more popular?
Xander is more popular than Nikolas today: about 1,335 US babies were given the name Xander in 2025, compared with 375 named Nikolas.
| Nikolas | Xander | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Victory of the people | Defender of the people |
| Origin | Greek | Greek |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | NIK-oh-lus | ZAN-der |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1937 | 1990 |
| Peak year | 2004 (1,060) | 2017 (2,414) |
| In 2025 | 375 | 1,335 |
| Trend | Declining | Rising |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Nikolas
Xander
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Nikolas | Xander |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 2,564 | 10,693 |
| 2010s | 5,133 | 19,317 |
| 2000s | 7,812 | 9,909 |
| 1990s | 5,946 | 362 |
| 1980s | 1,955 | 0 |
| 1970s | 502 | 0 |
| 1960s | 107 | 0 |
| 1950s | 5 | 0 |
| 1940s | 5 | 0 |
| 1930s | 6 | 0 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Nikolas or Xander more popular?
Xander is more popular than Nikolas today: about 1,335 US babies were given the name Xander in 2025, compared with 375 named Nikolas.
What is the difference between Nikolas and Xander?
Nikolas means Victory of the people (Greek origin), while Xander means Defender of the people (Greek origin).
Which name is older, Nikolas or Xander?
In US records, Nikolas first appears in 1937 and Xander in 1990, so Nikolas has the longer recorded history.