Santa Claus has many different names around the world including Father Christmas in the UK, Père Noël in France, Weihnachtsmann in Germany, Julenisse in Denmark, Ded Moroz (meaning Grandfather Frost) in Russia, Babbo Natale in Italy, and Papai Noel in Brazil.
Santa Claus Goes by 70+ Names Around the World
While American children wait for Santa Claus to slide down their chimneys, kids around the world are expecting visits from Father Christmas, Père Noël, Weihnachtsmann, and dozens of other festively named gift-bringers. The jolly man in red has more aliases than a spy novel protagonist.
The Name Game
In the UK, he's known as Father Christmas, a character who evolved from medieval story plays featuring "Old Man Christmas." Cross the English Channel to France, and he becomes Père Noël (literally "Father Christmas"). Head to Germany, and you'll meet Weihnachtsmann ("Christmas Man"), though the name game gets interesting here—the term "Kris Kringle," used by some Americans, actually comes from the German Christkindlein (Christ child), but modern Germans don't use that term for their Santa figure.
Travel north to Scandinavia, and Denmark's Julenisse brings a mythological twist—he's technically a Christmas gnome or elf rather than the rotund bearded figure Americans picture. Meanwhile, Russia's Ded Moroz (Grandfather Frost or Father Frost) stands out by arriving on New Year's Eve instead of Christmas, often wearing blue instead of red, and traveling with his granddaughter Snegurochka (the Snow Maiden) in a troika sleigh pulled by horses.
Lost in Translation
Italy calls him Babbo Natale ("Daddy Christmas"), Brazil knows him as Papai Noel, and Japan phonetically adapted the English as Santa Kurohsu. The Netherlands, where much of the Santa tradition originated, uses de Kerstman. Even Hawaii got in on the action with Kanakaloka.
The diversity stems from how the legend of Saint Nicholas—a 4th-century bishop from modern-day Turkey—spread across continents and centuries. Each culture absorbed the gift-giving tradition, then wrapped it in their own language, folklore, and winter mythology. The Dutch Sinterklaas morphed into the American "Santa Claus" when Dutch settlers arrived in New Amsterdam (later New York).
More Than Just Names
These aren't just translation differences—many cultures have distinct traditions. Ded Moroz carries a magical staff and doesn't use chimneys. Italy's children also wait for La Befana, a kindly witch who brings gifts on Epiphany (January 5th) while searching for baby Jesus on her broomstick—though she's considered separate from their Santa figure.
What unites all these characters? A white beard, a winter arrival, and an uncanny ability to know if you've been naughty or nice. Call him what you will—the magic is universal.