Nikita (given name)
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Nikita (Template:Lang-ru [nʲɪˈkʲitə]) is a unisex name, most common as a masculine name in Eastern Europe. The Russian variant originated as a masculine Greek name, and subsequently Russian name. The Ukrainian and Belarusian variants are Mykyta (Микита [mɪˈkɪtɐ]),[1] and Mikita (Мікіта [mʲiˈkʲita]), respectively (but Nikita (Нiкiта) 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 by way of the veneration of Saint Nicetas the Goth (died 372) in the Russian Orthodox Church.
Since the later 20th century, the name Nikita has been adopted as a feminine name in some countries such as France. This development was presumably[weasel words] inspired by Elton John's song Nikita (whose music video portrayed a female Russian border guard, presumably the Nikita of the song), and the French film Nikita.
The Indian feminine name Niketā निकेता, Nikitā निकिता is unrelated. It comes from a Sanskrit word nikita निकेत, niketana निकेतन meaning "house, habitation; temple".
People with the given name Nikita
Slavic name
- Prince Nikita Alexandrovich of Russia (1900–1974)
- Prince Nikita Romanov (1923–2007), son of Prince Nikita Alexandrovich
- Nikita Alexeev (born 1981), Russian ice hockey player
- Nikita Dragun (born 1996), American Internet personality, make up artist, and model
- Nikita Filatov (born 1990), Russian ice hockey player
- Nikita Howarth (born 1998), New Zealand para-swimmer
- Nikita Khrushchev (1894–1971), the Soviet Union leader
- Nikita Katsalapov (born 1991), Russian ice dancer
- Nikita Koloff (born 1959), American wrestler
- Nikita Krylov (born 1992), Ukrainian mixed martial arts fighter
- Nikita Kucherov (born 1993), Russian ice hockey player
- Nikita Mikhalkov (born 1945), Russian filmmaker and actor
- Nikita Nagornyy (born 1997), Russian artistic gymnast
- Nikita Nikitin (born 1986), Russian ice hockey player
- Nikita Odnoralov, Russian musician, lead singer of the band Everfound
- Nikita Sakharov (1915–1945), Soviet Evenk poet
- Nikita Scherbak (born 1995), Russian ice hockey player
- Nikita Simonyan (born 1926), Soviet footballer of Armenian descent
- Nikita Tryamkin (born 1994), Russian ice hockey player
- Nikita Soshnikov (born 1992), Russian ice hockey player
- Nikita Rukavytsya (born 1987), Australian football (soccer) player
Indian name
- Nikita Anand (born 1983), Indian model
- Nikita Thukral (born 1981), South Indian actress
- Nikita Willy (born 1994), Indonesian actress and pop singer
Pseudonyms
- Nikita, former ring name of Katarina Waters (born 1977), British professional wrestler
Fictional characters
- Nikita the Tanner, character in East Slavic folklore
- Nikita, the main character in the 1990 action thriller film Nikita,
- The main character in the television series La Femme Nikita, adapted from the above film
- Nikita Mears, the main character in the television series Nikita, adapted from the above film
- Nikita Dragovich, the main antagonist in Call of Duty: Black Ops
See also
References
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