The name Nicodemus comes directly from the Greek Νικόδημος (Nikódēmos), where it is the name of a Pharisee in the Gospel of John that visits Jesus at night (cf. John 3). The likely origin for this name is from the Greek words νίκη (níkē), meaning "victory," and δῆμος (dēmos), meaning "people," giving us "victory of the people" or "conqueror of the people."

There is a later, alternative Semitic origin for the name offered by Babylonian Talmud Taʿanit 20a associated with a wealthy Jewish leader of the 1st century named Naqdimon (Nicodemus) Ben-Gurion (נקדימון בן־גוריון), also mentioned by Josephus, Lamentations Rabbah, Ecclesiastes Rabbah, and Avot de Rabbi Nathan. This questionable etymology is related to a Semitic word, נִּקְדְּרָה (nikdərāh), meaning "to break through," since a miraculous answer to his prayer happened when "the sun broke through."