12 Names For Santa Claus From Around The World

The original story of Santa starts with the monk St. Nicholas. He lived in the late 200s in what is today Turkey, and he built a reputation for helping others by giving away his inherited money. After he was canonized by the Catholic church as a saint, people idolized him as the protector of children and sailors. They celebrated his life every year on December 6, which was the day of his death.

The Dutch, who called Saint Nicholas Sinterklaas, were one of the cultures that celebrated. In the late 1700s, the Dutch had a strong connection to New York City—a city first known as New Amsterdam. New York newspapers reported that Dutch families were holding Sinterklaas gatherings on December 6 in 1773 and 1774.

Sinterklaas is the shorter version of the Dutch name for Saint Nicholas: Sint Nikolaas. This Dutch depiction passes on the flying reindeer for a land-bound white horse and has a red bishop’s hat rather than a floppy triangular hat with a tuft of white fur on the tip.

Much of Germany knows Santa Claus as Der Weihnachtsmann. The depiction is similar to Saint Nick in the US, and he has similar present-giving tendencies.

Der Weihnachtsmann isn’t the only Santa Claus-like figure in Germany, however. There’s also Heilige Nikolaus (heilige translates to "saint"). This depiction is closer to the Catholic association with Saint Nicholas, and he comes every year around the original saint’s death day of December 6. Heilige Nikolaus wields a staff and looks like a bishop. He also travels with Krampus, a scary looking character who handles the children who’ve been bad.

And then there’s the gift-giving character who is divorced from Catholic saints that came about during the lifetime of Protestant leader Martin Luther in the 1500s. Rather than basing the deliverer of presents on a Catholic saint, that honor was given to Christkind, an angelic figure. Today, Christkind is depicted by a crowned woman in white and gold who drops gifts under the tree on Christmas Eve.

The name Père Noël literally translates to "Father Christmas." The original version of Père Noël has a robe and wicker basket, and he wanders with his donkey, Gui (which translates to "mistletoe"). Kids leave out their shoes with food (carrots and other vegetables) for Gui, and Père Noël replaces the donkey food with presents.

In some parts of France, this friendly depiction of Santa Claus is accompanied by Pére Fouettard, which translates to “Father Whipper.” The name refers to the old legend that he would whip those on the naughty list.

Dedt Moroz is the gift bearer around the winter holidays in Russia. The name translates loosely to "Father Ice" or "Grandfather Frost." Legend has it that Dedt Moroz traveled around on a sleigh and one day saw a girl who was thrown out by her stepmother. Dedt Moroz gave her diamonds for her kindness and turned her evil stepsister into ice. The figure is somewhat like a New Year’s Santa, as he typically arrives with presents six days after Christmas.

Turkey, the home of the original Saint Nicholas, calls Santa Claus Noel Baba, which translates to "Christmas Father." The original legend of Saint Nicholas lives on with celebrations on and around December 6.

England’s version of Santa, Father Christmas, opts for a green robe with a hood rather than the red clothes, and he has a staff and a wreath of holly. The name dates back to 1650—60. For people familiar with Charles Dickens’ book A Christmas Carol, Father Christmas closely resembles the Ghost of Christmas Present.

The closest modern version of an Italian Santa Claus is Babbo Natale and he does travel with reindeer (with names like Freccia, Saltarello, and Donato), but there’s a Santa-like figure that goes back even further. Since the 700s, an Italian witch named La Befana has flown around the region on a broom giving treats to good children and coal to the bad. She did her work on Epiphany on January 6, which is the final day of the Christmas season that is designated as the day the three Wise Men made it to Mary and Joseph’s manger.

La Befana hosted the Wise Men while they were on their way to Bethlehem, so the story goes, but she couldn’t join them on their journey. She changed her mind after they left and tried to follow with a basket of gifts but never made it. Her lonely search for Jesus continues on the night before Epiphany, and she drops off candy for the good kids she finds in those homes.

Like the German Heilige Nikolaus, this version of "Saint Nicholas" dresses in a bishop's robe and delivers gifts on December 6, the day of the saint's feast. Children do write letters to Święty Mikołaj, and they might receive such traditional Polish desserts, such as chocolate-covered pierniczki (a type of gingerbread cookie), in return.

Over time, Santa has grown in popularity all around the globe. In Japan, Christmas has been embraced as a Western tradition, with Santa-san appearing in department stores during the holidays or at a charity event known as the SantaCon festival.

The Dutch Sinterklaas was transformed bit by bit into the Americana version of Santa Claus (Anglicized name and all) that people recognize today. The writer Washington Irving called Saint Nicholas the patron saint of New York in The History of New York, and the minister Clement Clarke Moore described Santa as a “right jolly old elf” in his 1822 poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas” (though perhaps you know it better as “'Twas The Night Before Christmas”). In 1881, a Harper’s Weekly cartoon of the poem put a face to the man complete with the belly, beard, and sack of toys.

Even in the United States, Santa goes by several names. For example, Kriss Kringle comes from the German Christkindl or "Christ child." The original 1947 film Miracle on 34th Street uses this particular name for Santa.

Shaka Santa is depicted as throwing the hang loose sign (or "shaka sign"), and travels with his wife, Tūtū Mel. They dress in typical vacation garb when they arrive in Honolulu each year. (Because even Santa likes to take it easy sometimes!)