Nikiforov

Nikiforov (Russian: Никифоров) is a Russian patronymic surname meaning "son of Nikifor". The surname is derived from the given name Nikifor, the Russian, Bulgarian and Macedonian form of Nikephoros (Greek Νικηφόρος), which means "carrying victory" from Greek νίκη (nike) "victory" and φέρω (phero) "to carry, to bear". Nikephoros was a common name in the Byzantine Empire, borne by several emperors, most notably the 10th-century Basileus Nikephoros II Phokas. It was also a cultic title of the goddess Athena.

As a family name, Nikiforov is widespread across Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. Following the Russian naming tradition, many bearers also figure in the cultural and political history of the wider Eastern Slavic world.

Notable Bearers

• Aleksey Nikiforov (born 1957), a Lithuanian ice hockey player who represented the USSR and later coached in Lithuania.
• Galin Nikiforov (born 1968), a Bulgarian writer and journalist known for literary fiction and civic commentary.
• Maria Nikiforova (1885–1919), a Ukrainian anarchist partisan leader active during the Russian Revolution.
• Nikolay Nikiforov (born 1982), Russian politician who served as Minister of Communications from 2012 to 2018.
• Oleksandr Nikiforov (born 1967), a Ukrainian football player who played as a midfielder.
• Pyotr Nikiforov (1882–1974), a Russian revolutionary and Soviet statesman, who held posts in Kazakhstan's early Soviet government.
• Viktor Nikiforov (1931–1989), a Soviet ice hockey defenceman, two-time Olympic champion and seven-time world champion.
• Vladislav Nikiforov (born 1989), a Russian football player.
• Vyacheslav Nikiforov (born 1966), a Russian football player.
• Yevgeny Nikiforov (born 1970), a Russian General, who served as Chief of Staff of the Russian Aerospace Forces.
• Yuriy Nikiforov (born 1970), a Ukrainian and Russian football coach and former player, who played for the Ukrainian national team in the 1998 World Cup.

The feminine counterpart is Nikiforova, which is taken by female bearers of the family name, per the gender-inflected inflection typical of Russian surnames.