# Nicholas



## MonsieurAquilone

Hello to all.

I am aware that my name, Nicholas, comes fromthe Greek 'nike' = 'victory', 'laus' = 'to the people', roughly translated however I was wondering how my name may be written in Greek.

Many thanks.


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## parakseno

nike - νίκη (victory)
laos - λαός (people, nation)
Nikolaos - Νικόλαος

I did a Google search and Nikos seems to be much more common in Modern Greek.


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## MonsieurAquilone

Thank you very much for your help.


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## ireney

Νίκος is just the short form by the way (like Tim for Timothy)


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## parakseno

ireney said:


> Νίκος is just the short form by the way (like Tim for Timothy)



I suspected that... So in one's official papers (ID, passport, driving licence, etc.) it's more likely to be Νικόλαος rather than Νίκος?


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## ireney

It's actually certain parakseno 

That's the case with most names
Ειρήνη - Ρένα (although I am trying really hard to actually start introducing myself as EIPHNH for the past 12 years with no luck ) Ρηνιώ, Ρηνούλα, Ρήνα

Αλέξανδρος - Αλέκος Αλέξης (although these may actually come from other names such as Αλέξιος)

Θεόδωρος - Θοδωρής

Παναγιώτης - Πάνος, Τάκης (Πότης in Μάνη)

Αθανάσιος - Θανάσης

Αικατερίνη - Κατερίνα, Κατίνα, Καίτη, Κάτια 

The list is really long since we rarely use the full form of the name. In all official papers you'll see the "whole" name rather than the diminutive


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## parakseno

ireney said:


> Παναγιώτης - Πάνος, Τάκης (Πότης in Μάνη)



Wow, now that's something I would've never guessed... I was convinced that Τάκης is a "full name" not a "shorthand" version... It's even strange... from Παναγιώτης to Τάκης...

Thanks for the info!


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## ireney

Ah yes, I should have made a note there! I have encountered Takis as a full name only once (this Sunday really, it was the name of someone's father).

In general Τάκης, Σάκης και Άκης are just short forms created thusly (found an excuse to use it!)

Παναγιω_τάκης_
Διονυσ_άκης_


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