Nicolai in Japanese

Nicolai is written ニコライ in katakana. Katakana is the script Japanese people use for foreign names, so this is how Nicolai would appear on a Japanese ID card, a café cup or a name tag. Depending on the origin of the name, it can also be written ニコライー (English).

Our top pick is 新湖来 (Nikorai). 新 means “new”, 湖 means “lake” and 来 means “coming”. Other good options are 新心礼 (Nikorai) and 新光来 (Nikourai).

Not as a traditional name. Japanese people write foreign names in katakana, so 新湖来 is a creative kanji spelling (called ateji), chosen for its sounds and meanings. Japanese readers will understand what each character means, and many will enjoy the idea behind it.

新湖来 has 32 strokes in total (新: 13, 湖: 12, 来: 7). It takes some practice to write neatly, so look up the stroke order before trying it with a brush.

Each character in 新湖来 has a positive meaning, so it is a reasonable choice. Keep in mind that Japanese people will read it as the meaning of the characters, not instantly as “Nicolai”. If you want your name to be recognized, katakana (ニコライ) is clearer. Either way, ask a native speaker to check the final design.