The name Nicolas has its origins in the Greek name Nikolaos, which is derived from the words "niko" meaning "victory" and "laos" meaning "people." It is believed to have first emerged during the Hellenistic period, around the 3rd century BC.

The name quickly spread throughout the Greek-speaking world and eventually made its way into the Roman Empire. It gained prominence with the rise of Christianity, as Saint Nicholas of Myra, a 4th-century bishop known for his generosity and kindness, became one of the most widely revered saints in the Christian tradition.

One of the earliest recorded uses of the name can be found in the New Testament, where Nicolas of Antioch is mentioned as one of the first seven deacons appointed by the Apostles in the early Christian church.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Nicolas remained popular across Europe, particularly in regions with strong ties to the Byzantine Empire or the Eastern Orthodox Church. Notable figures from this period include Nicolas of Cusa (1401-1464), a German philosopher, mathematician, and Catholic cardinal, and Nicolas Flamel (c. 1330-1418), a French scribe and manuscript-seller who became the subject of legend as an alleged alchemist.

During the Renaissance, the name continued to be widely used, with individuals such as Nicolas Copernicus (1473-1543), the Polish astronomer who proposed the heliocentric model of the solar system, and Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665), a French painter known for his classical landscapes and historical scenes.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the name remained popular, with notable bearers including Nicolas Appert (1749-1841), a French inventor credited with developing the method of preserving food in airtight containers, and Nicolas Léonard Sadi Carnot (1796-1832), a French military engineer and physicist who laid the foundations of thermodynamics.

Other prominent figures throughout history include Nicolas de Staël (1914-1955), a French painter of Russian descent known for his abstract landscapes, and Nicolas Slonimsky (1894-1995), a Russian-American composer, conductor, and author who made significant contributions to the study of modern music.