Santa Claus in Other Languages: 35+ Names Around the World

Santa Claus in other languages goes by dozens of names: Papá Noel in Spanish, Père Noël in French, Babbo Natale in Italian and Weihnachtsmann in German. In Russia he is Ded Moroz, Grandfather Frost, and in Finland he is Joulupukki, the Christmas Goat.¹

Many of these names are not translations at all. They belong to different figures with their own stories and their own days, from St. Nicholas on December 6 to the Three Kings on January 6.

Below you'll find a quick list of how to say Santa in the languages American kids learn most, a searchable table of more than 35 countries and regions, and a few surprises from right here in the US.

How to say Santa Claus in different languages

Here are the names your kids are most likely to meet in a Spanish or French class, in a picture book, or from a classmate's family. The pronunciations are rough guides for English speakers.

Fun fact: in Spanish, Portuguese, French and Italian, Santa is a father figure: Father Christmas. In German, Danish and Dutch he is simply the "Christmas Man."¹

Santa Claus in other countries: the full list

Type a country or a name into the search box to filter the table. Several names in one row mean that more than one gift-bringer is common there, often on different days.

The names come from the Wikipedia list of Christmas gift-bringers.¹ Customs vary from family to family, so read it as the most common tradition, not a rule.

Santa's names right here in the US

You don't have to leave the country to meet Santa under another name. "Santa Claus" itself comes from Sinterklaas, the Dutch name for St. Nicholas, and "Kris Kringle" comes from Christkindl, the Christ child that German families in Pennsylvania knew as their gift-bringer.⁴ The full story is in our article St. Nicholas vs. Santa Claus.

Kanakaloka in Hawaii

In Hawaii, Santa is Kanakaloka. In local Christmas pictures he swaps the red suit for flowery Hawaiian clothes, and his sleigh becomes an outrigger canoe pulled by dolphins.⁵

Papa Noël in Louisiana

In Cajun Louisiana, Papa Noël arrives at homes in a pirogue, a flat little boat, towed by eight alligators.³ Compare that with the reindeer team in our guide to Santa's reindeer names.

Belsnickel in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Dutch communities kept the Belsnickel, a man wearing fur who visits homes before Christmas to check up on how the children have behaved. He was known in Pennsylvania by the early 1800s.⁶

Santa in Spanish: Mexico and Puerto Rico

Millions of American families celebrate with Mexican or Puerto Rican traditions. In Mexico, Santa Claus and the Niño Dios (Child God) bring gifts at Christmas, and the Three Kings follow on January 6.¹⁷ In Puerto Rico Santa is Santa Clós, and Los Tres Reyes Magos are a big part of the season.¹

When do kids around the world get their gifts?

Christmas morning is not the only gift day. Depending on where you live, the presents come anywhere between early December and early January:

In the Netherlands, Sinterklaas brings his presents on the evening of December 5.⁸ In Iceland, the 13 Yule Lads arrive one by one during the last 13 nights before Christmas and leave small gifts in shoes on the windowsill. Naughty kids get a rotten potato.² Russia's Ded Moroz brings presents on New Year's Eve, and in 1998 the town of Veliky Ustyug was declared his home.⁹ In Italy, La Befana flies on her broom on the night of January 5.¹⁰

Why is Santa a goat in Finland?

Joulupukki literally means "Christmas goat" in Finnish. The name goes back to old customs of men dressing up in goat costumes. Radio programs from 1927 onward helped give him a Santa-like suit, reindeer and a home on the Korvatunturi fell in Lapland.¹¹

Bringing world Santas into your holiday

Kids love this topic. Pick one country a night in December, look it up in the table and try to say the name out loud. Put out shoes on December 5 like a Dutch family, or save one small gift for January 6. If your kids are writing to Santa this year, see our guide to Santa Claus's address; whatever they call him, the letters still find their way.

Santa in other languages: frequently asked questions

How do you say Santa Claus in Spanish?

In Spain and much of South America he is Papá Noel. In Mexico kids usually just say Santa Claus, and in Puerto Rico it is Santa Clós. Many Spanish-speaking families also wait for the Three Kings on January 6.

How do you say Santa Claus in French?

Père Noël, which means Father Christmas. French-speaking Canadians use the same name.

How do you say Santa Claus in Italian?

Babbo Natale, which means Father Christmas. In Italy La Befana, a kind witch on a broomstick, brings a second round of treats on the night of January 5.

How do you say Santa Claus in German?

Weihnachtsmann, the "Christmas Man." In Catholic regions of Germany and in Austria, the Christkind (Christ Child) brings the gifts instead.

Where does the name Santa Claus come from?

From Sinterklaas, the Dutch name for St. Nicholas. In early New York the word slowly became "Santa Claus."

What is Santa called in Hawaii?

Kanakaloka. In Hawaiian Christmas stories he trades his sleigh for an outrigger canoe pulled by dolphins.

Sources

1. 1Wikipedia: List of Christmas and winter gift-bringers (wikipedia.org)
2. 2Wikipedia: Yule Lads (wikipedia.org)
3. 3Wikipedia: Papa Noël (wikipedia.org)
4. 4VOA Learning English: Words and their stories, Santa Claus (voanews.com)
5. 5Wikipedia: Christmas in Hawaii (wikipedia.org)
6. 6Wikipedia: Belsnickel (wikipedia.org)
7. 7Wikipedia: Christmas in Mexico (wikipedia.org)
8. 8Wikipedia: Sinterklaas (wikipedia.org)
9. 9Wikipedia: Ded Moroz (wikipedia.org)
10. 10Wikipedia: Befana (wikipedia.org)
11. 11Wikipedia: Joulupukki (wikipedia.org)