Basic element Nickel [28] was so notoriously hard and dangerous to refine, requiring a lot of coal for heating and re-heating, for so long that it was given the title of Nick, an old name for the Devil (de ville), originating from nike, meaning "victory." 

"When, in the medieval German Erzgebirge, or Ore Mountains, a red mineral resembling copper-ore was found, the miners looking for copper could extract none from it, as it contains none; worse yet, the ore also sickened them. They blamed a mischievous sprite of German mythology, Nickel (similar to Old Nick) for besetting the copper (German: Kupfer): the mischievous Kupfernickel.[4] This German equivalent of "copper-nickel" was used as early as 1694 (other old German synonyms are Rotnickelkies and Arsennickel).

In 1751, Baron Axel Fredrik Cronstedt was attempting to extract copper from kupfernickel mineral, and obtained instead a white metal that he called after the spirit, nickel.[5] In modern German, Kupfernickel and Kupfer-Nickel designates the alloy Cupronickel."0

"Saint Nicholas (laos meaning "people.") was a third century Bishop of Myra in Greece and is considered the patron saint of children. According to legend, Nicholas secretly left bags of gold in the stockings of young women who had no dowry. This story established St. Nicholas as a gift-giver, and so the practice of giving gifts on St. Nicholas' Eve was born."1 Which is December 6th.

"The name Kris Kringle came from the German Christkindl or Christkindlein, meaning Christ Child.[1] Disturbed by the fact that the figure of Saint Nicholas was beginning to overshadow Jesus Christ during the Christmas season, reformer Martin Luther introduced the idea of Christkindl,"1

"Father Christmas is Santa's name in Britain, and the name is sometimes used in other English-speaking countries as well. Father Christmas and Sinterklaas were originally distinct characters with different traits, but they have since merged into one jolly lovable red-suited man.[1] The name Father Christmas has been around since the 15th century, when it was used in a carol written by Richard Smart in Devonshire."

"Though the evolution of the modern Santa Claus figure has a long and complex history, the name itself came from the Dutch Sinterklaas, a variation of Sinter Niklaas meaning Saint Nicholas.[1] When Dutch immigrants came to the United States, they brought their holiday traditions with them, including the tradition of Sinterklaas, and of giving gifts on December 6th, Saint Nicholas' Day."

"OTHER NAMES FOR SANTA CLAUS

Baba Christmas (Urdu)
Babbo Natale (Italy)
Bellsnickle (old American)
Black Peter (Morocco)
Christkindl (Austria)
Grandfather Frost or Ded Moroz (Russia)
Gwiazdor, meaning "star man" from the North Star (Poland)
Joulupukki (Finland)
Kanakaloka (Hawaii)
Kerstman (Norway)
Mos Craciun (Romania)
Pere Noel (France)
Papai Noel (Brazil & Peru)
Sion Corn, or Chimney John (Wales)
Shengdan Laoren (China)"1

0 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickeline
1 http://wiki.name.com/en/The_Names_of_Santa_Claus