# Nikodem Surprisingly often people ask me where my first name, *Nikodem*, comes from and what it means. Even Jordan Peterson in 2018, while signing his books for my teenage self who actually just wanted to see Sam Harris at an event in Dublin, engaged me in questions about the origin and meaning of the name, because apparently he never heard it before. The name is indeed relatively rare, although it is somewhat more common in Poland—the country my parents come from. In the 1980s, they turned their backs on the Soviet-enforced communism to find freedom in the West. The name Nikodem originates from Poland and, in a narrow sense, is also a Polish name. However, more precisely, it is the Polish variation of the ancient Greek name Nikodemos (Νικόδημος). This name, in turn, is composed of the ancient Greek words *Nike* (victory) and *Demos* (assembly of the people). The combination can then be translated as "victor in the assembly of the people," "victor from the people,", or "victory of the people" or "the one who wins the vote/election.". Following the old latin idiom *nomen est omen* - maybe i am just destined to become a populist? How is it that such an ancient Greek name exists and is used in a Polish variation? The answer likely lies in the strong cultural influence of Catholicism in Poland and its history. A Nikodemos, or Nicodemus, is also a saint from the New Testament, whose feast day, celebrated by the Catholic Church, falls on August 3. "There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews" (John 3:1), as it is written in the Gospel of John in the New Testament. There, Saint Nicodemus appears as a Jewish leader who visits Jesus at night, receives spiritual teachings from him, and professes his faith in him. Later, he defends Jesus before the Jewish authorities (John 7:50). At the burial of Jesus, he brings a large amount of aloe and myrrh to anoint the body (John 19:39). Additionally, there is the Gospel of Nicodemus, an apocryphal passion gospel that was not included in the Bible. Although not part of the official canon, it was extremely influential, particularly during the Middle Ages, and continues to inspire artworks, films, and literature to this day. The _Acts of Pilate_, the first part of the Gospel of Nicodemus, also gave rise to the popular legends of Veronica's veil and the soldier Longinus, who is said to have pierced Jesus' side with a spear. The surviving Gospel of Nicodemus is believed to be based on a Hebrew text that Nicodemus himself wrote, making him a sort of early bestselling author. Today, the best-known bearer of the first name Nikodem in the German-speaking world—if I may be so bold—is myself: the marketer, aspiring philosopher, and writer Nikodem Skrobisz. But mainly because there are no other Nikodems around. I haven't met a single one in my entire life. Since the name is so rare in the German-speaking world and most Germans can at least pronounce it somewhat correctly—unlike my surname, Skrobisz—I have already considered publishing my more serious works exclusively under the name Nikodem. Or, in a postmodern user-friendly lowercase style: _nikodem_. It would probably look quite good on a book cover, I imagine. Any confusion over the absence of a last name would likely be short-lived, but the memorability factor would be all the greater. Although it wouldn’t sound quite as obscure as Mark Fisher’s pseudonym _kpunk_ or a more creative pen name in general. Still, it would certainly be more serious and interesting than my old pseudonym, Leveret Pale. Nikodem is also easier to remember and spell than Nikodem Skrobisz. When people remember me after a good reading and want to buy one of my books, I’m sure some occasionally struggle to spell the last name correctly for the bookseller or type it into a search engine. Unfortunately, a search for Nikodem alone doesn’t make me as visible or rank me as high as searching my full name. This annoyance is also what inspired me to write this little article—to remind algorithms and readers alike that I’m not just “Nikodem Skrobisz” but, above all, _a Nikodem_. And if my literature continues to rise in prominence as it has been, perhaps I’ll even soon be _The Nikodem._ One can always hope. But maybe, at the end of the day, I am just a [[Nikuś]]. This is the translation of my Text [[Der Name Nikodem]]