How to say ‘Father Christmas’ in over 100 languages

Ever wondered how to say ‘Father Christmas’ in Cebuano? Zulu? Maybe in Māori? Well, wonder no more! We’ve collected together different ways of saying Father Christmas in over 100 languages – take a look and see if you can find the one you’re after.

The festive season is upon us once again! And next to Superman, all around the world jolly, white-haired Father Christmas is probably one of the most recognised figures of all time!

Yet with so many cultures and languages, Father Christmas has a huge variety of names, some of them absolutely unique. Welsh speakers, for example, call Father Christmas ‘John of the Chimney,’ while Russians say ‘Grandfather Frost!’ Meanwhile, in many German-speaking regions it is the ‘Christkind’ or Baby Jesus who brings Christmas presents.

Come join us at uTalk to learn how to say “Father Christmas” in over 100 languages!

Father Christmas / Santa Claus.

Father Christmas first began as a humble Greek bishop who was born in the 3rd Century in what is now modern Turkey. Saint Nicholas, as he would later come to be known, was admired for his generosity and humility. He gave away all his wealth to the sick and the poor. He was even famous for performing all sorts of miracles, becoming known as Nicholas the Wonderworker. Over time, the Church would come to recognise him as the patron saint of children (as well as sailors, merchants, archers, repentant thieves and prostitutes, brewers, the unmarried and pawnbrokers – yes, he had a huge portfolio!). During the Middle Ages, Saint Nicholas was the most popular saint in Europe.

The name ‘Santa Claus,’ as he is universally known in the United States today, was brought there by Dutch immigrants who knew him as Sinterklaas (from Saint Nicholas).

Kersvader (literally, ‘Christmas Father’).

Babagjyshi i Krishtlindjeve (Grandfather Christmas), Babagjyshi i Vitit të Ri (Grandfather New Year), or Babadimri (Father Winter).

የገና አባት (Yegena Abat or ‘Christmas Father’).

بابا نويل (Baba Noel).

Ձմեռ Պապ (Dzmer Pap or ‘Grandfather Winter’).

সান্তা ক্লজ (from English ‘Santa Claus’).

Şaxta Baba (‘Frost Father’).

Bizarzuri (‘White Beard’).

Дзед Мароз (‘Dzied Maroz’ or ‘Grandfather Frost’).

সান্তা ক্লজ (from English ‘Santa Claus’).

Djed Mraz (‘Grandfather Frost’).

Дядо мраз (‘Dyado Mraz,’ ‘Grandfather Frost’).

ဆန်တာကလော့စ် (from English ‘Santa Claus’).

聖誕老人 (‘sing3 daan3 lou5 jan4’ or ‘Christmas Old Man’).

Pare Noel (‘Father Christmas’).

Santa Claus (Most Philippine languages have borrowed the American English ‘Santa Claus’).

Santa Claus.

Santa Claus

圣诞老人 (‘shèngdàn lǎorén’ or ‘Christmas Old Man’).

Want to know how to pronounce this one? Check out our Guide to Mandarin Pronunciation for some tips!

Djed Mraz (‘Grandfather Frost’).

Svatý Mikuláš (‘Saint Nicholas’ – according to Czech tradition it is actually Ježíšek or ‘Baby Jesus’ who brings presents on Christmas Eve).

Julemanden (‘Yule-Man’).

بابا نوئل (“Baba Noel”)

Kerstman. (The Dutch have two “Father Christmas” figures! On December 5th, the eve of Saint Nicholas’ Day, Sinterklaas sails into the Netherlands from his home in Madrid accompanied by servants called Zwarte Pieten. They give gifts to good children and punish naughty ones. And then on Christmas Eve, it is Kerstman who comes to deliver more presents!)

No equivalent.

Patro Kristnasko (‘Father Christmas’).

Jõuluvana (‘Father Christmas’).

Santa Claus.

Santa Claus.

Joulupukki (literally, ‘Yule Goat’) – from a pre-Christian custom where men dress up as goats to perform specific rituals link to harvests and fertility.

Kerstman (Christmas Man) and Sinterklaas (Saint Nicholas).

Père Noël (Father Christmas) or Papa Noël (Papa Christmas).

Pai Nadal (Father Christmas).

თოვლის ბაბუა (‘Tovlis Babua,’ meaning ‘Grandfather Snow’).

Weihnachtsmann (Christmas Man) – In many parts of Germany, Father Christmas or Weihnachtsmann is perceived to be an Anglo-Saxon import (and an obvious symptom of globalisation). Children in many German-speaking regions traditionally believe that it is the Christkind (Baby Jesus) that brings them Christmas presents.

Αγιος Βασίλης (Ayios Vasilis or ‘Saint Basil’) – Greeks believe that Saint Basil brings gifts on New Year’s Eve.

Ἅγιος Βασίλειος (Ágios Basíleios).

Juulimaaq (from Danish ‘Julemand’) or Juullip Inua (‘Christmas Man’).

સાન્તા ક્લોસ (from ‘Santa Claus’).

Tonton Nwèl (Uncle Christmas) or Papa Nwèl (Papa Christmas).

Santa Claus.

סנטה קלאוס (from ‘Santa Claus’).

सांता क्लॉज़ (from ‘Santa Claus’).

Mikulás or Szent Miklós (from ‘Saint Nicholas’).

Jólasveinar (Yule Lads) – In Iceland, 13 mischievous trolls called the Yule Lads visit towns and villages each of the 13 nights leading up to Christmas Eve. Children leave a shoe on the windowsill of their rooms expecting to receive a little present from the trolls. Naughty children will find a potato instead!

Fada Ekeresimesi (from ‘Father Christmas’).

Santa Claus.

Sinterklas (from Dutch ‘Sinterklaas’).

Daidí na Nollag (‘Daddy December’).

Babbo Natale (‘Daddy Christmas’) – Traditionally, it was La Befana, the ‘Good Witch of Christmas’ who would ride her broomstick on January 5th to people’s homes, climb down their chimneys and deliver presents to good children inside.

サンタクロース (from ‘Santa Claus’).

Sinterklas (from Dutch ‘Sinterklaas’).

સાન્તા ક્લોસ (from ‘Santa Claus’).

ಸಾಂಟಾ ಕ್ಲಾಸ್ (from ‘Santa Claus’).

Аяз Ата (‘Ayaz Ata’ or ‘Grandfather Frost’).

산타 클로스 (from ‘Santa Claus’).

Аяз Ата (‘Ayaz Ata’ or ‘Grandfather Frost’).

Noel Baba.

Sanctus Nicolaus.

Ziemassvētku vecītis (‘Christmas Old Man’).

Kalėdų senelis (‘Christmas Grandfather’).

Kleeschen (diminutive of ‘Saint Nicholas’).

Дедо Мраз (‘Dedo Mraz’ or ‘Grandfather Frost’).

Dadabe Noely (‘Grandfather Christmas’).

Santa Claus.

ക്രിസ്മസ് പാപ്പാ (‘Christmas Father’).

San Niklaw.

Jishag y Nollick (‘Father Christmas’).

Matua Kirihimete (‘Father Christmas’).

सांता क्लॉज (from ‘Santa Claus’).

Санта клаус (from ‘Santa Claus’).

Babbo Natale (‘Daddy Christmas’).

सान्टा क्लाउज (from ‘Santa Claus’).

Julenissen (‘Yule Gnome’) – In Norway, a friendly little gnome called Julenissen brings presents on Christmas.

سانته کلاوز (from ‘Santa Claus’).

بابا نوئل (‘Baba Noel’).

Święty Mikołaj (‘Saint Nicholas’).

Pai Natal (‘Father Christmas’).

Papai Noel (‘Father Christmas’).

ਸੈਂਟਾ ਕਲੌਸ (from ‘Santa Claus’).

سانتا کلاز (from ‘Santa Claus’).

Moş Crăciun (‘Old Father Christmas’).

Дед Мороз (‘Ded Moroz’ or ‘Grandfather Frost’).

Tama Kerisimasi (‘Father Christmas’).

Babbo Natale (‘Daddy Christmas’).

Santa Claus.

Bodach na Nollaig (‘Old Man of Christmas’).

Деда Мраз (‘Deda Mraz’ or ‘Grandfather Frost’).

Baba Kisimusi (‘Father Christmas’).

Babbo Natale.

سانتا کلاز (from ‘Santa Claus’).

නත්තල් සීය (‘Nattal Siya’ meaning ‘Grandfather Christmas’).

Svätý Mikuláš (‘Saint Nicholas’).

Sveti Miklavž (‘Saint Nicholas’).

Santa Claus.

Papá Noel (‘Papa Christmas’).

Latin Americans have a wide variety of names for Father Christmas. Argentinians, Paraguayans and Uruguayans call him ‘Papá Noel’; Bolivians, Colombians and Ecuadorians welcome ‘Papá Noel’ or sometimes, ‘Santa Claus’; Chileans say, ‘Viejito Pascuero’; Costa Ricans call him ‘Colacho’; Cubans, Puerto Ricans and Dominicans happily refer to their Father Christmas as ‘Santa Clós’ or simply, ‘Santa’. ‘Santa Clós’ or ‘Santa’ is also common in El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Panama. Meanwhile, ‘San Nicolás’ is common in Honduras and Venezuela. Finally, Mexicans and Peruvians say ‘Papá Noel’, ‘Santa Clós’ or just plain ‘Santa’.

Baba Krismasi (‘Father Christmas’).

Jultomten (‘Yule Gnome’) – ‘Jultomten’ is a friendly gnome-like spirit that brings presents on Christmas Eve. However, he does not come down the chimney, instead preferring to walk through the front door.

Бобои Барфӣ (‘Boboi Barfi,’ meaning ‘Grandfather Snow’).

சாண்டா கிளாஸ் (from ‘Santa Claus’).

శాంతా క్లాజు (from ‘Santa Claus’).

ซานตาคลอส (from ‘Santa Claus’).

Santa Klaus.

Noel Baba (‘Christmas Father’).

Aýaz Baba (‘Frost Father’).

Дід Мороз (‘Did Moroz’ meaning ‘Grandfather Frost’) or Святий Миколай, (‘Sviatyi Mykolai’ or ‘Saint Nicholas’).

سانتا کلاز (from ‘Santa Claus’).

Ayoz Bobo (‘Frost Father’).

Ông Già Noel (‘Christmas Old Man’).

Siôn Corn (‘John of the Chimney’).

圣诞老人 (‘sen te lau nyin’ meaning ‘Christmas Old Man’).

uSanta Claus (‘u-‘ is a prefix occurring with names).

Baba Keresimesi (‘Father Christmas’).

uSanta Claus (‘u-‘ is a prefix occurring with names).

Did you learn how to say Father Christmas in a new language today? We the language lovers at uTalk wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!