Depending on where you are in the world, the name of who’s coming to town at Christmastime changes with the language. While the United States welcomes Santa Claus with open arms, Papá Noel makes his appearance in Spain, and Jultomte looks right at home in the Swedish winter landscape. You’ll find as many traditions about Santa Claus as there are names for the big guy, but all are intrinsically tied to holidays in December.
Once you learn how to say “Merry Christmas” in different languages, you can expand your knowledge to other words suitable for the Christmas season, like “Santa Claus.” Although the name sounds similar in many languages, the pronunciation might be different than what you’re used to. Rosetta Stone’s TruAccent pronunciation feature can help you master the correct way to pronounce the languages of your choice!
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Names for Santa Claus in 25 languages
The legend of Santa Claus originates on the European continent from as far back as the fourth century in ancient Greece (modern-day Türkiye). Despite his beginnings as the bishop Saint Nicholas, his modern image as the jolly man with a bag of gifts for good children has spread across the entire globe—even in countries that don’t have large Christian populations! Take a look at how many names he has in 25 major world languages.
| Language | Name |
| Arabic | (Baba Noel) بابا نُوِيل |
| Chinese (Mandarin) | 圣诞老人 (Shèngdàn Lǎorén) |
| Dutch | Sinterklaas; Sint-Nicolaas |
| English (American) | Santa Claus; Saint Nick; Kris Kringle; Jolly Old Saint Nicholas |
| English (British) | Father Christmas |
| Farsi (Persian) | (Bābā Noel) بابانوئل |
| French | Père Noël |
| German | Weihnachtsmann |
| Greek | Άγιος Βασίλης (Ágios Vasílis) |
| Hebrew | (Santa Klaos) סנטה קלאוס |
| Hindi | सांता क्लॉज़ (Saanta Kloz) |
| Irish | Daidí na Nollag; San Nioclás; Saintí |
| Italian | Babbo Natale |
| Japanese | サンタクロース (Santa Kurōsu); サンタさん (Santa San) |
| Korean | 산타 할아버지 (Santa Harabeoji) |
| Latin | Sanctus Nicolaus |
| Polish | Święty Mikołaj |
| Portuguese | Papai Noel; Bom Velhinho |
| Russian | Дед Мороз (Ded Moroz) |
| Spanish (Latin America) | Papá Noel; Viejito Pascuero; Colacho; San Nicolás; Santa Clós |
| Spanish (Spain) | Papá Noel |
| Swedish | Jultomte |
| Tagalog (Filipino) | Santa Klaws |
| Turkish | Noel Baba |
| Vietnamese | Ông Già Nôel |
1. Santa Claus in Arabic: بابا نُوِيل (Baba Noel)
Like many cultures outside of Europe that have adopted Santa Claus, the Arabic name is a translation of “Father Christmas”: Baba Noel (بابا نُوِيل). Local traditions surrounding him vary throughout the Middle East, but he still brings presents to children dressed up in his familiar red suit. In the city of Bethlehem, Baba Noel drives around to meet children in person, delivering gifts and spreading joy.
2. Santa Claus in Chinese (Mandarin): 圣诞老人 (Shèngdàn Lǎorén)
The Chinese name for Santa is Shèngdàn Lǎorén (圣诞老人), which literally means “Christmas old man.” Christmas isn’t a major holiday in China, but you’ll still find Santa’s image on secular Christmas decorations throughout the country (especially in major cities).
3. Santa Claus in Dutch: Sinterklaas
The name Sinterklaas (or Sint-Nicolaas) is the Dutch name for Saint Nicholas, and you can thank the Dutch for the version of Santa Claus seen on today’s Christmas merchandise. Like the modern Santa Claus, Sinterklaas wears red and white (in the form of a papal gown) and keeps track of which kids have been naughty or nice. The Dutch immigrants who founded New Amsterdam (now known as New York) are often credited with being the first inspiration for the Santa Claus characterization that developed in the United States.
4. Santa Claus in English (American): Santa
In the US, Santa primarily goes by Santa or Santa Claus. However, you might hear a number of other nicknames in the Christmas stories and traditional Christmas carols playing in stores and on the radio, like:
- Saint Nick
- Kris Kringle
- Jolly Old Saint Nicholas
No matter what you call him, the image is consistent for Christmas in America: an old man with a smile and a round belly, dressed in a red suit trimmed in white fur and carrying a sack of toys for good children.
5. Santa Claus in English (British): Father Christmas
The British version of Santa Claus—Father Christmas—started as a symbol of Christmas rather than an actual person who spread joy and cheer. The history of Father Christmas dates back to the 17th century during a time of religious turmoil in England. His story survived to grow from a character in a winter play to other images of Christmastime, including the Ghost of Christmas Present in Charles Dickens’ 1843 story, A Christmas Carol.
The image and mannerisms of the modern Father Christmas have more or less merged with the American Santa Claus, but he’s still called Father Christmas by many in the UK and accompanies British Christmas traditions.
6. Santa Claus in Farsi (Persian): بابانوئل (Bābā Noel)
Just like in Arabic, the Farsi name for Santa Claus is Bābā Noel (بابانوئل), a direct translation of “Father Christmas.” Although the population of Iran is predominantly Muslim, you can still find festive Christmas celebrations around the country with familiar images: evergreen trees, candy canes, and of course, a familiar old man dressed in red and white.
7. Santa Claus in French: Père Noël
The French name for Santa Claus is Père Noël, or “Father Christmas.” In many ways, he closely resembles the other personifications that rose from the original Saint Nicholas. However, Christmas in France also comes with an evil counterpart: Père Fouettard (Father Whipper). While Père Noël rewards the good children, Père Fouettard is a sinister warning to children getting a little too close to “naughty.”
8. Santa Claus in German: Weihnachtsmann
You’re bound to find a wide variety of decorations, gifts, and treats depicting der Weihnachtsmann (“the Christmas man”) if you wander into a German Christmas market. He brings gifts on Christmas Eve, much like in other countries around the world, although some people instead leave out a boot for Nikolaus (Saint Nicholas) to fill with goodies on the eve of the Feast of St. Nicholas (December 5).
This tradition also comes with another Western European holiday figure: Krampus. The half-goat, half-demon is said to punish the bad children, while Saint Nicholas rewards the good children.
9. Santa Claus in Greek: Άγιος Βασίλης (Ágios Vasílis)
Although the Saint Nicholas that became the modern Santa Claus comes from a Greek tale, it’s actually Ágios Vasílis (Saint Basil) who symbolizes Christmas in Greece! Saint Nicholas was associated with gift giving (being the patron saint of children and toymakers, among other things), and Ágios Vasílis was known for his gifts to the poor and underprivileged around Christmas. His feast day is actually on January 1, meaning children in Greece must wait until New Year’s Eve for their presents.
10. Santa Claus in Hebrew: סנטה קלאוס (Santa Klaos)
The Hebrew name for Santa Claus is simply Santa Klaos (סנטה קלאוס), as his image and traditions are borrowed from abroad. The only country with Hebrew as its native language is Israel, which has a predominantly Jewish population. Christmas sometimes overlaps with the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, and while you’re more likely to see menorahs lighting up windows in December, you can still find Christmas celebrations and images of Santa Klaos in Israel. This is especially true in the cities of Jerusalem (which has holy sites for Christianity as well as Islam and Judaism), Jaffa, and Bethlehem.
11. Santa Claus in Hindi: सांता क्लॉज़ (Saanta Kloz)
India also has a small Christian population, but the worldwide popularity of Christmas means Saanta Kloz (सांता क्लॉज़) still makes an appearance! You can enjoy lights, Christmas trees, market stalls with food and gifts, and images of Saanta Kloz if you attend events like the famous Kolkata Christmas Festival.
12. Santa Claus in Irish: Daidí na Nollag
Santa Claus is Daidí na Nollag or “Daddy of Christmas” in Irish Gaelic. You might also hear San Nioclás (Saint Nicholas) or Saintí (Santa). Like the Christmas traditions found in nearby England, Daidí na Nollag brings presents for children to open on Christmas morning. If you’re thinking about leaving him milk and cookies as a treat, try a mince pie with a glass of Guinness instead!
13. Santa Claus in Italian: Babbo Natale
While Babbo Natale (Father Christmas) is one of a kind, Italian children might also get visited by up to two other figures. The Christmas witch La Befana saves her gifts for after the new year, arriving on January 6. Meanwhile, Italian Christmas traditions in northern Italy sometimes include Santa Lucia bringing children gifts on December 13. Some of the traditions associated with Santa Claus passed on to her, too, including leaving treats for her steed (a donkey instead of a reindeer).
14. Santa Claus in Japanese: サンタクロース (Santa Kurōsu)
Santa Kurōsu—or the more affectionate Santa San (サンタさん, Mr. Santa)—is more of a symbol of the season rather than an active participant, as Christmas is mostly a secular holiday in Japan. While some Japanese children are told that Santa brings them gifts, it’s also common for children to receive gifts from family instead.
Another elderly figure based on a real person with snow-white hair and a red suit you’ll see around Christmas in Japan is a bit unexpected: Colonel Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame. Although the annual tradition stems from needing a poultry replacement for turkey, the visual similarities between Santa Claus and Colonel Sanders are plain to see.
15. Santa Claus in Korean: 산타 할아버지 (Santa Harabeoji)
Like its neighbors Japan and China, Korea’s Santa Claus—known as Santa Harabeoji (산타 할아버지) or “Grandfather Santa”—is a largely secular figure. However, Korea stands apart in the region because a large portion of its population identifies as Christian, which means Christmas has more religious relevance in Korea. Gift-giving isn’t as large a part of Korean Christmas celebrations as in other parts of the world, but you can still find images of Santa Harabeoji throughout the season.
16. Santa Claus in Latin: Sanctus Nicolaus
While our modern version of Christmas did not exist in Ancient Rome, Saint Nicholas did. Sanctus Nicolaus was alive when the Roman Empire began its transition to Christianity with the rise of Constantine I. One theory about why Christmas is on December 25 is even related to Roman celebrations. The festival of Saturnalia (in honor of the god Saturn) coincided with the winter solstice, and as Rome’s influence and conquests expanded, so did the number of people celebrating a variant of Saturnalia. In modern-day Italy, Christmas in Rome is as festive as any major city in the country.
17. Santa Claus in Polish: Święty Mikołaj
Santa Claus is known as Święty Mikołaj (Saint Nicholas) in Polish, but he’s not the only one who brings Christmas presents. Depending on the region of the country, children may receive gifts from:
- Święty Mikołaj: Saint Nicholas traditionally brings presents on December 6 rather than December 24 or 25.
- Aniołek: The “angel” is invisible and brings gifts during Christmas Eve dinner.
- Dzieciątko: Baby Jesus himself is the gift giver on his own birthday in some parts of Poland.
- Gwiazdor: The “star man” is known for having gifts for good children and a rózga (stick) for naughty ones.
18. Santa Claus in Portuguese: Papai Noel
The Portuguese name for Santa Claus is another variation of “Father Christmas”: Papai Noel. This is true for both Portugal and Brazil, but he’s also known as Bom Velhinho (good old man) in Brazil. Portugal proudly displays the biggest and smallest Santa Clauses in the world during an annual festival in the city of Águeda. The largest Santa is nearly 70 feet tall, while the smallest is only visible through a microscope.
19. Santa Claus in Russian: Дед Мороз (Ded Moroz)
The Russian variation of Santa Claus—Ded Moroz (Дед Мороз), or “Grandfather Frost”—is a bit more unique than some of his other iterations around the world. Ded Moroz is actually unrelated to Saint Nicholas and is instead more of a winter wizard. If you’ve ever seen a holiday decoration of a man who looks like Santa, but is dressed in blue instead of red, you’re probably looking at Ded Moroz! Traditionally, Ded Moroz brings gifts on New Year’s Eve, accompanied by his granddaughter, Snegurochka (Snow Maiden).
20. Santa Claus in Spanish (Latin America): Papá Noel and various others
The Spanish-speaking countries of South America and Central America stretch from the southern tip of Argentina and Chile in South America to as far north as Mexico, and Christmas traditions vary throughout the region. As a result, Santa Claus goes by many names in Spanish depending on the country, such as:
- San Nicolás (Saint Nicholas): Honduras, Venezuela
- Viejito Pascuero (Old Man Christmas): Chile
- Colacho (nickname for Nicolacho, or Nicholas): Costa Rica
- Santa Clós (Santa Claus): Central American countries like Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua
- Papá Noel (Father Christmas): South American countries like Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, and Bolivia
21. Santa Claus in Spanish (Spain): Papá Noel
In Spain, Santa Claus becomes Papá Noel (Father Christmas). However, for Christmas in Spain, he’s traditionally not the one who brings gifts to children. Instead, the three wise men who brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh to baby Jesus in the Bible’s Christmas tale fill that role. Most Spanish families wait until Día de Reyes (Three Kings Day) on January 5th to start giving out presents.
22. Santa Claus in Swedish: Jultomte
The Swedish Santa Claus—Jultomte (or the shortened Tomte)—shares his name with mischievous little creatures that resemble gnomes. These spirits predate the arrival of Christianity (and Christmas) in Scandinavia, and they traditionally expect presents around the winter solstice. When Santa came on the scene, his borrowed image as Saint Nicholas was merged with traits from the jultomte, including their name. Like Italy, Swedish holiday traditions include Saint Lucia, although you’re more likely to find delicious lussekatter (Swedish Saffron Buns) than presents on December 13.
23. Santa Claus in Tagalog (Filipino): Santa Klaws
The Philippines is known for having one of the longest Christmas celebrations (all the way from September to the first week of January), so you’ll see plenty of Santa Klaws by the time the new year rolls around. If you’re a fan of the Secret Santa gift-giving tradition, you’ll love the Filipino equivalent of Monito Monita (“little monkey” in male and female forms). Participants are randomly assigned a person to get a gift for (the monito or monita) and sometimes get a theme to follow for inspiration. This is played over multiple rounds in a fun game of gift giving.
24. Santa Claus in Turkish: Noel Baba
Even though Türkiye is a predominantly Muslim country with a very small Christian population, Noel Baba remains a famous figure. After all, the Saint Nicholas who eventually became Santa Claus lived in Türkiye! The city of Demre, Türkiye, is the modern location of where Saint Nicholas is said to have been born (Myra of the Lycia region). You can still visit the St. Nicholas Church in Demre today.
25. Santa Claus in Vietnamese: Ông Già Nôel
The Vietnamese Santa Claus, Ông Già Nôel (Old Man Noel), left his reindeer at the North Pole and swapped his sleigh for a motorcycle. Otherwise, he follows many of the same traditions as the modern, commercialized Santa Claus: gifts for children, a familiar red suit despite the tropical climate, and the embodiment of the celebratory Christmas spirit.
Greet Santa in one of Rosetta Stone’s 25 languages
Whether he goes by Santa Claus, Père Noël, or Daidí na Nollag, he’s coming to town in December. Which of the different names for Santa Claus will you be calling him when he stops by? If you call him by any of the above monikers, maybe he’ll even reward you with the gift of language learning through Rosetta Stone!
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