Boy name
Nikolay name meaning
“victory of the people”
Nikolay means “victory of the people” and is used as a masculine name in Türkiye. It is a Russian and Bulgarian form of Greek Nikolaos, built from nikē, “victory,” and laos, “people.” The historical writer Nikolay Gogol supplies a concrete literary association with this form of the name.
- Gender
- ♂ Boy
- Origin
- European languages
- Syllables
- 3
- Popularity
- #3,260
What does Nikolay mean?
Victory of the people
In Turkish: halkın zaferi
Nikolay belongs to the same historical family as Nikola and Nicolas. Turkish historical writing also uses it for Russian emperors, an association distinct from the name’s literal meaning. Nicole is one of its feminine relatives, and these forms share the underlying ideas of people and victory.
Ay means “moon” in Turkish and appears in names such as Berkay and Eray. Other names ending in these letters, such as Altay, have a different formation. More boy names ending in -ay →
Origin of the name Nikolay
Nikolay is a form of Greek Nikolaos used in languages including Russian and Bulgarian. Its Greek components are nikē, ‘victory’, and laos, ‘people’.
| Linguistic origin | European languages, Greek |
|---|---|
| Is Nikolay in the Quran? | No |
| Starts with | N · Ni |
How to pronounce Nikolay
| Syllables | 3 · 7 letters · 7-letter boy names |
|---|---|
| IPA | /nikolaj/ |
Is Nikolay a boy’s name?
Yes, Nikolay is used mostly as a boy’s name. See all boy names.
Nikolay does not appear in TÜİK’s top-30 lists (Türkiye and provinces, up to 2025). In our sample of notable people (Wikidata), 1 people bear it; this is not a national figure.
Spellings and similar names
Names that sound like Nikolay
Names with related meanings
- Fatih♂Opener
- Cihangir♂World-conqueror
- Utku♂Victory, triumph and successful achievement
- Muzaffer♂Victorious
- Zafer♂Victory
- Fevzi♂Relating to success or victory
- Tevfik♂Enabling success
- Galip♂Victorious
- Fethi♂Relating to conquest or opening
- Nusret♂Help, support
- Behram♂A name associated with victory
- Vural♂Strike and take
Famous people named Nikolay
- Nikolay Pastal · b. 1983
FAQ about the name Nikolay
What is the meaning of Nikolay?
Nikolay means “victory of the people”. Nikolay is a form of Greek Nikolaos used in languages including Russian and Bulgarian. Its Greek components are nikē, ‘victory’, and laos, ‘people’.
Is Nikolay a boy’s name?
Yes, Nikolay is used mostly as a boy’s name.
Is Nikolay in the Quran?
No. Neither the name Nikolay nor its source word occurs in the Quran.
What is the origin of the name Nikolay?
Nikolay is of European languages and Greek origin.
How many syllables does Nikolay have?
Nikolay has 3 syllables and 7 letters.
How popular is the name Nikolay?
Nikolay does not appear in TÜİK’s top-30 lists (Türkiye and provinces, up to 2025). In our sample of notable people (Wikidata), 1 people bear it; this is not a national figure.
Famous people named Nikolay?
Notable people named Nikolay include Nikolay Pastal.
Sources and method
Meanings and origins draw on language sources and name dictionaries; popularity figures come from TÜİK’s address-based population register, and notable people from Wikidata.
Entry ID: nm13197 · Updated 2026-10-24 · How we research names · Report a mistake