Nixon

Nixon is the transferred use of an English surname. The surname originated as a patronymic one (i.e., passed from the father’s personal name). In this case, Nike was a pet form of Nicholas which was the English equivalent of the Greek Nikolaos meaning “people of victory” from the elements “nikē” (victory) and “laos” (people). The name Nikoloas (in its various linguistic forms) became widespread throughout Europe in the Middle Ages due to the growing cult surrounding a 4th century saint, St. Nicholas, the Bishop of Myra in Asia Minor (present day Turkey). Nichloas was known for his religious zeal and extraordinary kindness. Although little is factually known, as with many early saints, Nicholas’s legends grew in medieval times and he became one of the most beloved saints ever. His cult arguably had the largest following of any other saint spanning both the Eastern and Western European borders during the Middle Ages. It was said that artists were so inspired by his image that he was second only to the Blessed Mother. In England, Nik(k)e became a popular short form of the name which eventually morphed into the surname Nikkesune (son of Nikke). Due to the high rate of illiteracy in medieval England, coupled with the radically different pronunciations of names among the various dialects, surnames took on many different spellings. Eventually Nikkesune would become Nixon. The name is also historically significant in the United States, as Richard Milhous Nixon was America’s 37th President.