About the name Nikifor / Nicephorus
Etymology & meaning
Nikifor comes from the Greek Νικηφόρος — "victory-bearer", from νίκη ("victory") and φέρω ("to carry"). A name of Byzantine emperors and patriarchs, kept in Bulgaria also in the surname Nikiforov.
History & patron saint
The patron is Saint Nicephorus the Confessor, Patriarch of Constantinople (commemorated in March) — the defender of the holy icons against iconoclasm, who died in exile and was later solemnly returned to the capital. The calendar also keeps the martyr Nicephorus of Antioch.
Traditions & customs
The name day is a quiet March one — a home table and toasts "to carry victories", after the name's literal sense.
Popularity & notable bearers
Nikifor is an old name known from medieval chronicles and Revival icon-painters; rare today, it remains unmistakably recognisable.