Answer: St. Nicholas
Notes: Santa Claus's original name is Saint Nicholas. The name Saint Nicholas comes from a patron saint who was known for giving gifts to the poor. The Dutch pronunciation of Saint Nicholas is "Sinterklaas". The Dutch brought the legend of Saint Nicholas to New Amsterdam, which is now New York City. The Americanized name "Santa Claus" dates back to 1765–75. Santa Claus is also known as: Father Christmas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, Simply Santa. The story of Santa Claus begins in the fourth century AD in what is now Turkey. A man named Nicholas became the bishop of a village. He was born between 260 and 280 A.D..
