Nicola
/niˈkɔ.la/
Nicola is the Italian feminine form of the name Nicholas.
In informal settings, a person named Nicola might be called by the nickname Nico or the affectionate diminutive Nicolino.
Meaning: feminine form of Nicholas (name)
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /niˈkɔ.la/. It has 3 syllables, with the stress on the second syllable.
Did you know?
- While Nicola is the feminine form of Nicholas, it is also a very common masculine name in Italy. This can lead to confusion for non-native speakers who assume the 'a' ending always indicates a female.
- The name Nicola is actually a phonetic relative of the English word 'nike', referring to the Greek goddess of victory. Both stem from the same root, meaning 'victory' through the Greek 'nikē'.
- The name Nicola is closely linked to the Italian 'Babbo Natale', the Italian version of Father Christmas, who is based on the historical Saint Nicholas.
Examples in context
- Buongiorno, Nicola. Sono lieto di incontrarti.Good morning, Nicola. I'm pleased to meet you.
- Mi scusi, Signor Nicola, potrebbe aiutarmi?Excuse me, Mr. Nicola, could you help me?
- Ciao, Nico! Come stai oggi?Hi, Nico! How are you today?
- Nicolino, mi puoi passare il sale, per favore?Nicolino, can you pass me the salt, please?
- È un piacere conoscerti, Nicola!It's a pleasure to meet you, Nicola!
- Nicola, vuoi venire al cinema con noi?Nicola, do you want to come to the movies with us?
- Signor Nicola, potrebbe darmi indicazioni per arrivare in centro?Mr. Nicola, could you give me directions to downtown?
- Nicolino, mi raccomando, studia per l'esame!Nicolino, please remember to study for the exam!
Example conversation
Martina and Matteo are talking about a mutual friend.
- MartinaSai dove si trova Nicola?Do you know where Nicola is?
- MatteoCredo che Nicola sia in ufficio.I think Nicola is in the office.
- MartinaDevo chiamarla per un progetto.I need to call her for a project.
- MatteoProva a mandarle un messaggio.Try sending her a message.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Nicola, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Nicola, CC BY-SA 4.0.
