Nikita (given name)

Nikita (Никита, Russian pronunciation: [nʲɪˈkʲitə]) originated as a masculine Russian name. The Ukrainian and Belarusian variant are Микита Mykyta ([mɪkɪtɑ]), and Мікіта Mikita ([mʲikʲita]), respectively (but Нiкiта Nikita is also in use in both countries). The Romanian variant is Nichita. The name is derived from the Greek Nicetas (Νικήτας, meaning "victor"). The Greek name entered Slavic onomastics due to the veneration of Saint Nicetas the Goth (died 372) in the Russian Orthodox Church.

Since the later 20th century, the name Nikita was adopted as a feminine name in some countries such as France. This development was presumably inspired by Elton John's song Nikita (its music video portrayed a female Russian border guard, presumably the Nikita of the song) and the French film Nikita.

There is also an unrelated Indian feminine name Niketā निकेता, Nikitā निकिता, from a Sanskrit word nikita निकेत, niketana निकेतन meaning "house, habitation; temple".

People with the given name Nikita

Slavic name

• Nikita Khrushchev (1894–1971), leader of the Soviet Union
• Prince Nikita of Russia (1900-1974)
• Nikita Sakharov (1915-1945), Soviet Evenk poet
• Prince Nikita Romanov (1923-2007), son of HH Prince Nikita
• Nikita Simonyan (born 1926), Soviet footballer of Armenian descent
• Nikita Mikhalkov (born 1945), Russian filmmaker and actor
• Nikita Koloff (born 1959), former American wrestler
• Nikita Russian (born 1977), the perpetrator of a con committed in 2002
• Nikita Nikitin (born 1986), Russian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League
• Nikita Rukavytsya (born 1987), A-league football (soccer) player in Australia for Perth Glory
• Nikita Mensah (born 1987), American from Slavic and African decent, fashion, tech and design socialite in Northern California.
• Nikita Filatov (born 1990), Russian professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Admiral Vladivostok of the Kontinental Hockey League
• Nikita Katsalapov (born 1991), Russian ice dancer
• Nikita Krylov (born 1992), MMA fighter
• Nikita Soshnikov (born 1992), Russian professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League
• Nikita Scherbak (born 1995), Russian ice hockey forward currently playing for the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League
• Nikita Kucherov (born 1993), Russian ice hockey forward currently playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League
• Nikita Odnoralov, Russian musician, lead singer of the band Everfound
• Nikita Howarth (born 1998), New Zealand para-swimmer

Indian name

• Nikita Thukral (born 1981), South Indian actress
• Nikita Anand (born 1983), Indian model
• Nikita Willy (born 1994), Indonesian actress and pop singer

Pseudonyms

• Nikita, former ring name of British professional wrestler Katarina Waters (born 1977)

Fictional characters

• Nikita the Furrier, character in Russian folklore
• Main character in Nikita, La Femme Nikita, and Nikita (TV series)
• Nikita - song by Elton John
• Nikita Dragovich, main antagonist in Call of Duty: Black Ops
• Nikita Mears, from CW's Nikita

See also

• Mykyta the Fox - Ukrainian animated series