Niels is a male given name, equivalent to

Nicholas Nicholas is a male name, the Anglophone version of an ancient Greek name in use since antiquity, and cognate with the modern Greek , . It originally derived from a combination of two Ancient Greek, Greek words meaning 'victory' and 'people'. In ...

, which is common in Denmark, Belgium, Norway (formerly) and the Netherlands. The Norwegian and Swedish variant is Nils. The name is a developed short form of Nicholas or Greek

Nikolaos Nikolaos (, ') is a common Greek given name which means "Victor of People", a compound of νίκη '' nikē'' 'victory' and λαός laos' 'people'. The connotation is "people's champion" or "conqueror of people". The English form is Nicholas. I ...

, after

Saint Nicholas Saint Nicholas of Myra (traditionally 15 March 270 – 6 December 343), also known as Nicholas of Bari, was an early Christian bishop of Greeks, Greek descent from the maritime city of Patara (Lycia), Patara in Anatolia (in modern-day Antalya ...

. Its pet form is Nisse, and female variants are Nielsine, Nielsina, and Nielsa. Notable people with the name include: * Niels, King of Denmark (1065–1134) * Niels, Count of Halland (died 1218) *

Niels Aagaard Niels Lauritsen Aagaard (1812— abt. 22 January 1857), was probably the brother of the poet Christen Aagaard, was professor at Sorø Academy, in Denmark, where he also occupied the office of librarian. He died in 1657, at the age of forty-five ...

(1612–1657), Danish poet *

Niels Aall Niels Aall (1 December 1769 – 23 October 1854) was a Norwegian estate owner, businessman and politician. Family Niels Aall was the son of lumber merchant Nicolai Benjamin Aall (1739–98) from Porsgrunn and his wife Amjørg Jørgensdatte ...

(1769–1854), Norwegian businessman and politician *

Niels Henrik Abel Niels Henrik Abel ( , ; 5 August 1802 – 6 April 1829) was a Norwegian mathematician who made pioneering contributions in a variety of fields. His most famous single result is the first complete proof demonstrating the impossibility of solvin ...

(1802–1829), Norwegian mathematician *

Niels Arestrup Niels Arestrup (; 8 February 1949 – 1 December 2024) was a French-Danish actor, film director and screenwriter. Early life and career Arestrup was born in Paris on 8 February 1949, into a family of modest means; his father was Danish and his ...

(1949–2024), French-Danish actor and director * Niels Viggo Bentzon (1919–2000), Danish composer and pianist *

Niels Bohr Niels Henrik David Bohr (, ; ; 7 October 1885 – 18 November 1962) was a Danish theoretical physicist who made foundational contributions to understanding atomic structure and old quantum theory, quantum theory, for which he received the No ...

(1885–1962), Danish physicist and Nobel Prize recipient *

Niels Busk Niels Busk (born 2 August 1942 in Vadum) is a Danish politician and Member of the European Parliament with the Venstre, part of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe and sits on the European Parliament's Committee on Agriculture and ...

(born 1942), Danish politician *

Niels Ebbesen Niels Ebbesen (1308 – 21 November 1340) was a Denmark, Danish squire and folk hero, national hero, known for assassinating Gerhard III, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg in 1340. From 1332 to 1340, Count Gerhard was the lord of both Jutland and Fune ...

(died 1340), Danish squire and national hero * Niels Nikolaus Falck (1784–1850), Danish jurist and historian *

Niels Feijen Niels Feijen (born 3 February 1977, The Hague) is a Dutch professional pool player, from the Hague. His nickname is "the Terminator". In 2014 he won the WPA World 9-ball championship. Career In 2001, Feijen reached the finals of a nine-ball to ...

(born 1977), Dutch pool player *

Niels Ferguson Niels T. Ferguson (born 10 December 1965, Eindhoven) is a Dutch cryptographer and consultant who currently works for Microsoft. He has worked with others, including Bruce Schneier, designing cryptographic algorithms, testing algorithms and protoco ...

(born 1965), Dutch cryptographer *

Niels Friis Niels Friis (died 1508) was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Viborg (1498–1508).

(died 1508), Roman Catholic prelate and bishop of Viborg, succeeding Niels Glob *

Niels Gade Niels Wilhelm Gade (22 February 1817 – 21 December 1890) was a Danish composer, conductor, violinist, organist and teacher. Together with Johan Peter Emilius Hartmann, he was the leading Danish musician of his day, in the period known as ...

(1817–1890), Danish musician *

Niels Giffey Niels Giffey (born 8 June 1991) is a German professional basketball player for Bayern Munich of the German Basketball Bundesliga (BBL) and the EuroLeague. Standing at , he plays the small forward and shooting guard positions. He also represents ...

(born 1991), German basketball player *

Niels Glob Niels Glob was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Viborg (1478–1498)."Bish ...

, Roman Catholic prelate and bishop of Viborg (1478–1498) *

Niels Hansen Jacobsen Niels Hansen Jacobsen (September 10, 1861 – November 26, 1941) was a Denmark, Danish Sculpture, sculptor and ceramist. He is most famous for creating the once controversial sculpture, ''Trold, der vejrer kristenblod''. The name of the statu ...

(1861–1941), Danish sculptor *

Niels Helveg Petersen Niels Lolk Helveg Petersen (; informally Niels Helveg; 17 January 1939 – 3 June 2017) was a Danish politician. He was Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1993 to 2000, having previously held the role of Minister for Economic Affairs between 1988 ...

(1939–2017), Danish politician *

Niels Hemmingsen Niels Hemmingsen (May/June 1513 – 23 May 1600), Latinized Nicolaus Hemmingius, was a Danish Lutheran theologian. He was pastor of the Church of the Holy Ghost, Copenhagen and professor at the University of Copenhagen. The street Niels Hemmin ...

(1513–1600), Danish theologian *

Niels Hintermann Niels Hintermann (born 5 May 1995) is a Swiss World Cup alpine ski racer. Born in Bülach, Zürich, he specializes in the speed events of downhill and super-G. Career Hintermann made his World Cup debut at age 20 in November 2015 at La ...

(born 1995), Swiss alpine ski racer *

Niels Holst-Sørensen Niels Holst-Sørensen (19 December 1922 – 24 October 2023) was a Danish athlete and air force officer, and a centenarian. He served as the commander-in-chief of the Royal Danish Air Force from 1970 to 1982, and as Denmark's military representa ...

(1922–2023), Danish athlete and general *

Niels Lauritz Høyen Niels is a male given name, equivalent to Nicholas, which is common in Denmark, Belgium, Norway (formerly) and the Netherlands. The Norwegian and Swedish variant is Nils. The name is a developed short form of Nicholas or Greek Nikolaos, after Sai ...

(1798–1870), Danish art historian *

Niels Kaj Jerne Niels Kaj Jerne, FRS (23 December 1911 – 7 October 1994) was a Danish immunologist. He shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1984 with Georges J. F. Köhler and César Milstein "for theories concerning the specificity in dev ...

(1911–1994), Danish immunologist and Nobel Prize recipient * Niels Jonsson Stromberg af Clastorp (1646–1723), Swedish soldier and politician *

Niels Juel Niels Juel (8 May 1629 – 8 April 1697) was a Danish naval officer. He served as supreme commander of the Dano-Norwegian Navy during the late 17th century and oversaw development of the Danish-Norwegian Navy. Background Niels Juel was born ...

(1629–1697), Danish admiral * Niels Kaas (1535–1594), Danish politician *

Niels Christian Kaldau Niels Christian Kaldau (born 22 December 1974) is a male badminton player from Denmark. Career Kaldau won the Portuguese Badminton Champs in 1998, 2002 and 2003, the German Open in 2002, the Bitburger Open in 2004 and the Spanish Internati ...

(born 1974), Danish badminton player *

Niels Krabbe Niels Kaare Krabbe (born 1 July 1951) is a Danish ornithologist and bird conservationist for many years based at the Vertebrate Department of the Zoological Museum, University of Copenhagen and tutored by Jon Fjeldså. His research interests in ...

(born 1951), Danish ornithologist *

Niels Lan Doky Niels Lan Doky (born 3 October 1963) is a Danish jazz pianist, composer and producer. He is the older brother of jazz bassist Chris Minh Doky. Biography Doky was born in Copenhagen of a Danish mother and Vietnamese father. His father worked as ...

(born 1963), Danish jazz pianist * Niels de Langen (born 1998), Dutch para-alpine skier * Niels Meyn (1891–1957), Danish author *

Niels Neergaard Niels Thomasius Neergaard (27 June 1854 – 2 September 1936) was a Danish historian and political figure, a member of the Liberal Moderate Venstre and since 1910 of Venstre. He served as Council President of Denmark between 1908 and 1909 ...

(1854–1936), Danish historian and politician *

Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (; 27 May 1946 – 19 April 2005), also known by his abbreviated nickname NHØP, was a Danish jazz double bassist. Biography Pedersen was born in Osted, near Roskilde, on the Danish island of Zealand, the son o ...

(1946–2005), Danish jazz bassist *

Niels Ryberg Finsen Niels Ryberg Finsen (15 December 1860 – 24 September 1904) was a physician and scientist. In 1903, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology "in recognition of his contribution to the treatment of diseases, especially lupus vu ...

(1860–1904), Danish physician and Nobel Prize recipient *

Niels Schneider Niels Schneider (; born 18 June 1987) is a French-Canadian actor. He had his breakthrough role in Xavier Dolan's film '' I Killed My Mother'' (2009), and gained international recognition in Dolan's '' Heartbeats'' (2010). In 2011, he won the T ...

(born 1987), Canadian actor *Niels Steensen, also known as

Nicolas Steno Niels Steensen (; Latinized to Nicolas Steno or Nicolaus Stenonius; 1 January 1638 – 25 November 1686 ) was a Danish scientist, a pioneer in both anatomy and geology who became a Catholic bishop in his later years. He has been beatified ...

(1638–1686), Danish scientist and Catholic bishop * Niels Treschow (1751–1833), Norwegian philosopher and politician *

Niels van den Berge Cornelis Niels van den Berge (born 28 December 1984 in Bad Honnef) is a Dutch politician. As a member of GreenLeft (GroenLinks) he was a temporary MP from 12 January to 11 March 2011, replacing Mariko Peters, who was on maternity leave. He focuse ...

(born 1984), Dutch politician * Niels van der Zwan (born 1967), Dutch rower * Niels van Steenis (born 1969), Dutch rower

See also