UK boy's name
Nicolau
A masculine name of Greek origin meaning "victor of the people".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Nicolau is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Nicolau popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5119, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2017, with 3 births.
This profile covers 6 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2017 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 6 living people in the UK are called Nicolau. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Nicolau ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2017, when 3 boys were registered as Nicolau.
- • About 6 living people in the UK are estimated to have Nicolau as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5119
2024
Births in 2024
3
Latest year
Peak year
2017
3 births
Estimated living
6
2026
Meaning
What does Nicolau mean?
The given name Nicolau has its origins in the Greek language and culture, tracing back to ancient times. It is derived from the Greek name Nikolaos, which means "victory of the people." The name is a combination of the Greek words "nikē," meaning "victory," and "laos," meaning "people."
In the early centuries of Christianity, the name gained popularity due to its association with Saint Nicholas, the 4th-century bishop of Myra, who was known for his generosity and kindness towards children. The name Nicolau appears in various ancient manuscripts and records related to the life and veneration of Saint Nicholas.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nicolau can be found in the 11th-century Codex Calixtinus, a medieval manuscript that documents the life of Saint James the Great and the pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. The manuscript mentions a pilgrim named Nicolau who made the journey to the holy site.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Nicolau. Among them is Nicolau de Cusa (1401-1464), a German philosopher, mathematician, and astronomer known for his contributions to the Renaissance era. Another prominent figure is Nicolau Copernicus (1473-1543), the Polish astronomer who formulated the heliocentric model of the solar system, revolutionizing our understanding of the universe.
In the realm of art, Nicolau Poussin (1594-1665) was a renowned French painter and a leading figure of the classical tradition. His works, such as "Et in Arcadia Ego" and "The Burial of Phocion," are widely celebrated for their technical mastery and symbolic depth.
Moving to the world of literature, Nicolau Maquiavel (1469-1527), better known as Niccolò Machiavelli, was an Italian Renaissance philosopher, historian, and political theorist whose influential work "The Prince" laid the foundations for modern political thought and the concept of realpolitik.
Another notable figure is Nicolau Copérnico (1473-1543), the Polish astronomer whose groundbreaking work "De revolutionibus orbium coelestium" (On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres) proposed the heliocentric model of the solar system, challenging the long-held geocentric view of the universe.
These are just a few examples of the many prominent individuals throughout history who have carried the name Nicolau, reflecting its enduring legacy across various fields and cultures.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Nicolau over time
The chart below shows babies named Nicolau registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2017 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Nicolau, the clearest high point is 2017. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 3 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nicolau by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Nicolau was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #5119 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010s | #4812 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Nicolau
- Noah 72,596
- Nathan 46,860
- Nicholas 15,983
- Nathaniel 12,151
- Niall 5,746
- Nicolas 3,825
- Nico 3,532
- Nate 2,029
- Nikodem 1,872
- Noel 1,865
- Ned 1,614
- Neo 1,563
FAQ
Nicolau: questions and answers
How popular is the name Nicolau in the UK right now?
In 2024, Nicolau was ranked #5119 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Nicolau most popular?
The peak year on record was 2017, with 3 babies registered as Nicolau in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Nicolau?
A masculine name of Greek origin meaning "victor of the people".
How many people are called Nicolau in the UK?
A total of 6 babies have been registered as Nicolau across the 2 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.